Ahead of the busiest weekend of the year for conservation authorities, DNR officials are reminding boaters to be safe this weekend.
DNR Conservation Police Sergeant John Williamson says good weather will make it the busiest of the summer holidays, adding it's imperative you have enough life jackets on your watercraft and for all the maintenance to be up to date.
Drinking and boating laws are much different for boats as opposed to cars but Williamson says it's important each group make sure they have a sober operator. Additionally, he reminds boaters about who needs to be in life jackets while on board.
Statistics compiled by the IDNR Office of Law Enforcement show 68 boating-related accidents in Illinois in 2018, resulting in 34 injuries and 18 fatalities. Annual boating accident statistics are compiled based on the Federal Fiscal Year of October 1 through September 30.
CPOs in 2018 issued 1,045 citations and 3,753 warnings in the enforcement of Illinois boating safety laws. CPOs made 124 arrests for boaters operating under the influence (OUI) in 2018.
What’s more, IDNR statistics indicate that 16 of the 18 people who died in boating accidents last year may have survived if they had worn a life jacket or other personal flotation device (PFD); four of the 18 boating-related fatalities involved alcohol or drug impairment.
