IMMOKALEE, Fla. — Friday, Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) reminded boaters to wear their life jacket on Lake Trafford in Immokalee.
FWC Public Information Officer Adam Brown said in more than half of the drownings FWC responded to in 2022, life vests were not worn.
It's a statistic officer Brown is working to educate people on during 'wear your life jacket to work day'.
“You can see that nearly two-thirds of all boating accidents involve a drowning and that's because oftentimes those life jackets were not worn,” said Brown.
FWC lists these as some of the common misconceptions for boaters who choose to not wear a life jacket:
I’m a great swimmer! Why would I need to bother with a life jacket?
"Even the greatest swimmers aren’t always ready to be thrown overboard and a quick look at boating safety statistics make that quite evident. Typically over half of Florida’s boating fatalities each year are due to falls overboard and boaters entering the water unprepared."
It is just too hot out to wear something so bulky and uncomfortable! (Not to mention what it will do to my tan lines.)
"The availability of inflatable life jackets has made wearing a life jacket more comfortable as they are less bulky and constrictive. An inflatable life jacket has twice the buoyancy of a traditional orange horseshoe life jacket and is less than half the size! The biggest problem with inflatable jackets is forgetting that you are wearing them in the first place."
Who will notice if I wear a life jacket?
"Everyone will notice when you are not around because you didn’t wear it. Your children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews will follow the example you set, whether good or bad. Make yourself a good example by practicing safe boating habits- WEAR IT."
Click here for FWC boating regulations.
Click here for boater safety courses.
