Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District encourages boaters to stay safe on the water this summer.
Adria Bergeron, the communications manager at MWCD, shares the importance of being a safe water vessel operator.
“Probably the first and foremost thing is to make sure if you are operating a boat that you know kind of the rules of the road. You are responsible as the boat operator to know what the rules are on the lake and what you need to be doing.”
The operator should know the rules for personal flotation devices, complete a vessel safety check, and be aware of no wake zones. The person driving the boat should also refrain from alcohol consumption and cannabis use as alcohol is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating incidents.
Bergeron warns visitors of bow riding and shares that most injuries happen when people are not in a seat while the boat is in motion.
“If the boat is in motion, people need to be in a seat. That is the most common cause of injury, is where when you hit a wake, you hit something where you didn’t expect it and that person that is sitting on the front or the back of the boat where it’s not an official seat falls off. And a lot of times they are going to be sucked right towards where the back of the boat is that’s causing an injury by the props.”
It’s important to know the rules for the safety of all guests. Lake maps are available online at MWCD.org. For more boating information, visit OhioDNR.gov/boating
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