By the National Safe Boating Council
Perfect for classroom settings and outreach events, new educational brochures and digital resources share important boating safety information to prepare boaters for a safe day on the water. Developed by the National Safe Boating Council in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, these materials address contributing factors in recreational boating accidents.
“As more people are boating, it’s important to provide boating safety information,” said Peg Phillips, executive director of the National Safe Boating Council. “These free materials may be used by retailers, marinas, marine law enforcement agencies, and others to help boaters have a safe time on the water.”
These new brochures address life jackets, general boating safety tips, and communication. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there were 4,168 recreational boating reported accidents in 2019, with 70% of deaths on boats where the operator had no boating safety instruction. Of drowning victims, 86% were not wearing life jackets.
“The National Safe Boating Council recommends all boaters participate in instruction and education prior to launching,” said Phillips. “Not only can you play a critical role in preventing a boating accident, your time on the water will be more enjoyable.
In addition to the brochures, social media images and GIFs are available. All educational materials are available for free at https://www.safeboatingcouncil.org/resources/brochures/.
These free resources were produced by the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC), through a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Coast Guard.