| SAFE
BOATING TIPS |
|
| Take a boating
safety class offered by your local Power Squadron, Coast Guard
Auxiliary or Red Cross. |
| Know your
boat's limit and don't exceed it.A safe boat is a well-equipped
boat. Always carry the necessary safety gear |
| Keep life
jackets visible and accessible . . . and never make someone feel
uncomfortable if they choose to wear a life jacket. |
| Learn "the
rules of the road" . . . and obey them! |
| Knowing how
to swim just makes good sense if you spend time on the water.
If you don't know how, LEARN. However, even good swimmers do not always
survive the shock or panic of sudden immersion in cold water. |
| Remember,
while a drink or two can relax you and make your day more enjoyable,
they may also slow your reaction time, reduce your coordination and
increase your susceptibility to hypothermia. |
| Don't overdo
your boating fun. In 3 hours of normal boating, the noise, motion,
sun wind and glare can frequently double an individual's reaction
time. |
ALCOHOL
FACTS
|
| Moderation
and common sense should dictate how much alcohol is consumed on
your boat. Limit your consumption to one drink. Approximately one-half
of all accidents are Alcohol Related. |
| Ideally, the
helmsman should not drink. A responsible boat owner will never
allow a person under the influence to operate the boat. |
| Alcohol affects
your judgement. It makes you think you can function better than
when you are sober. But in fact, alcohol slows your reaction time
considerably. |
| Hard liquor may
hit a little harder or faster than beer or wine - especially if it
is not diluted . . . but too much beer or wine can be just
as bad as too much liquor. |
| Know how much
your're drinking. Even moderate drinkers may be drinking
more than they think if they aren't measuring their drinks. If your're
serving mixed drinks keep a jigger handy and use it. |
| Images can be
deceiving. Some drinks can be stronger than you think. A daiquiri
can have more than twice the alcohol than a beer or a whiskey and
soda. Know what you're drinking and know when to say when. |
ALCOHOL'S
EFFECTS ON THE BODY
|
| Most states
define impairment at .10% Blood Alcohol Content. However, even
lower levels of blood alcohol may affect a person's balance, vision
or judgement. This can be especially dangerous when on the water. |
| Balance
. . . Alcohol impacts an individual's sense of balance. A moment of
diziness or even a mis-step may not cause any harm on your patio or
in a resturant, but it can lead to disaster on the water. |
Vision
. . .
Safe boating requires good vision and too much alcohol can seriously
restrict your vision. It can create "tunnel vision" effect,
reducing peripheral vision. It can impair your ability to "focus"
on objects and it can reduce your night vision, espcially for reds
and greens . . . the colors of running lights. |
| Boating, Alcohol
and SAFETY . . . Operating a boat is at least as complicated as
driving a car and a boating accident can be just as dangerous as an
automobile accident. Yet many people who would never drive drunk think
it's safe to operate their boat after drinking. It isn't. In fact,
50% of all boating fatalities are alcohol-related. Operating a boat
while intoxicated is illegal and dangerous. |
| ALCOHOL
Questions & Answers |
| Q - Why
do some people get tipsy on just one or two drinks? |
| A - A
number of things can influence how alcohol affects you. Drinking on
an empty stomach, when you're tired, tense or on medication can all
increase alcohol's affect alcohol in your drink can also affect alcohol's
impact. |
| Q - What's
the fastest way to sober up? |
| A - There
are no shortcuts. Cold showers, hot coffee and other "remedies"
won't make you sober. Only time will do that. All you can do is wait. |
| Q - How
soon after drinking can a person drive? |
| A - There's
no easy answer- Remember, your body can process about one drink in
an hour, so pace yourself. |
| When
A Boating Accident Occurs . . . |
1. Help
other people involved in the accident.
|
2. Notify
local law enforcement officers immediately by the quickest means of
communication available.
|
3. Give
your name, address, and identification to any injured person or owner
of property that is damaged in the accident.
|
4. You
must notify Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks within 48 hours
if the accident involves a death, treatable injury, or disappearance
of person(s).
|
5. Boat
operators whose vessels have been involved in accidents with property
damage greater than $500 shall report the accident to Kansas Department
of Wildlife and Parks within 5 days of its occurrence.
|
|
Kansas
Licenses available online through KDWP! |
|
