AUSTIN, TX – As summer begins to wind down and summer boating season along with it, many Texans are making plans to escape the heat by hitting the water one last time.
This holiday weekend, Texas Game Wardens and local law enforcement officers will be patrolling water bodies across the state and remind everyone spending time around the water to follow basic safety precautions.
“We want everyone to wrap up their summer on a high note while enjoying time outdoors safely this Labor Day weekend,” said Cody Jones, Texas Game Warden assistant commander for marine enforcement. “Texas Game Wardens will be out ensuring boaters are exercising safe boating practices. We encourage anyone hitting the water for the holiday weekend to wear a properly fitting life jacket, closely supervise any children with you, use the engine kill switch and don’t operate a boat if you have been drinking alcohol.”
Last year over Labor Day weekend, wardens reported five boating accidents, two boating-related fatalities and two open-water drownings. They also arrested five individuals for boating while intoxicated (BWI), one of whom had a child passenger on board. As of Sept. 1, 2023, any BWI with a child under the age of 15 on board is a state jail felony, punishable by six months to two years in state jail and a maximum $10,000 fine.
“Many accidents and fatalities on the water can be avoided by taking a boater education course, wearing life jackets and avoiding alcohol,” said Kimberly Sorensen, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Boating Education Manager. “Many simple, but effective ways to increase water safety, like knowing the rules of the waterway, lighting requirements, safety equipment requirements and more are taught in the boater education course.”
Boater education is key to helping reduce accidents and fatalities.
Of the fatalities and accidents in 2023, more than 38 percent of boat operators had not completed the state-mandated boater safety course. To operate a personal watercraft or a boat with a 15-horsepower rating or more, anyone born on or after Sept. 1, 1993 must complete a boater education course. Boaters can find a selection of online boater courses that can be taken anytime on TPWD’s boater education web page. In-person courses are available. Paddlers can also access a free paddling safety course online.
Other important safety precautions include checking the weather before heading to the water, learning to swim, checking equipment and making sure all passengers are out of the water and on board before starting the motor.
A complete list of safety equipment required is found in the Texas Water Safety Act. For more information about water safety, visit the Water Safety page on the TPWD website.
TPWD’s Boater Education team will be on Lake Travis in Austin and Lake Ray Hubbard near Dallas reinforcing the importance of water and boating safety. Meet the team from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Aug. 31 on Lake Travis at Mansfield Dam and Lake Ray Hubbard at Chandler’s Landing Marina.
For more information on safe boating, please visit the TPWD Boater Education Program.
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