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What You Need to Know
In 2004, 55 percent of children ages 14 and under who drowned in reported boating accidents were not wearing life jackets.
It is estimated that 85 percent of boating-related drownings could have been prevented if the victim had been wearing a life jacket.
Make your children wear a life jacket … it may be the law!
Forty-five states have enacted laws that require children to wear life jackets while participating in recreational boating. These laws vary in age requirements, exemptions and enforcement procedures.
Recreational boats must carry one appropriately sized life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard for each person onboard, and the jackets must be kept accessible and in good condition. Children need to wear child-sized life jackets; make sure they are available.
Find out more about children's life jackets >>
Nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of parents report that their children ages 14 and under have ridden on boats, and 32 percent report that their child participates in water sports.
What You Can Do
Protect your children while on the water – follow these safety tips. Remember active supervision is the best way to keep your kids safe!
Always have your children wear a life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard while on boats or around open bodies of water or participating in water sports. The life jacket should fit snugly and not allow the child’s chin or ears to slip through the neck opening.
Never drink alcoholic beverages while boating.
Take a boating education course.
Get a vessel safety check every year for free from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadrons. For more information go to www.uscgboating.org and click “get a free safety check.”
Install a carbon monoxide detector on your motorboat. CO can accumulate anywhere in or around your boat and can remain at dangerous levels even if your engine is turned off.
SAFETY CHECKLISTS
