May 19-25 Safe Boating Week: Booze and boating, a deadly combo

More than 1,000 people die in boating accidents each year. Nine out of ten of them drown, and about half of those deaths involve alcohol. It’s tough enough to stay alert in the heat and the sun, but adding alcohol to this exposure intensifies the effect. Even a couple of beers can be too much. You are much more likely to fall overboard if you’ve been drinking.

Because alcohol reduces your body’s ability to protect against cold water, within minutes you may not be able to call for help or swim to safety.

Often, a drunken person, whose head is under water, gets confused about which way to swim in order to get to the surface. He may swim down instead of up; down to death instead of rescue.

Other safety advice includes:

• Before leaving the dock, make sure the boat is in good condition and you know how to operate it well.
• Wear your PFD. If you are not wearing your personal flotation device, by the time you need it, it will be too late to put it on. Every adult and child should wear one.
• When pulling a skier, have a spotter on hand. Never ski in rough water, and never ski at night. Stay clear of docks and respect other boaters and fishermen.
• If the boat capsizes, it will probably not sink. Take care of yourself before helping others. Stay with the boat. Get everyone as far out of the water as possible.