The National Transportation Safety Board’s Acting Chairman, Mark Rosenker, spoke about advancing recreational boating safety on the nation's waterways at the Western States Boating Administrators Association Conference this week.
Rosenker mentioned how the western states have been compliant in increasing safety measures when it comes to boating. The western states have made 70-100% of the actions recommended by the board. Rosenker stated that the issue of PFD’s are the “Most Wanted Transportation Safety Improvements for 2009.” Rosenker goes on to state “70 percent of accidents involve factors that could have been controlled by the operator and 80 percent of the fatalities occurred on boats operated by individuals who had not completed a boating safety education course.
Rosenker would like to see PFD requirments for all children and mandatory safety classes for boaters. He encouraged conference attendees to push for increased boating safety so the annual deaths, related to boating, decreases. Rosenker wants people to have a fun and safe experiences on the water that they will always be able to remember.Rosenker goals were summarized in the closing of his speech, “May our joint commitment to boating safety lead to further reductions in recreational boating fatalities, injuries, and accidents.”
For the latest paddlesports safety information, visit www.americancanoe.org
Kasey Kaplan
Intern - Safety Education & Instruction Department
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