News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2003
Personal Watercraft Industry Association Reminds Boaters
That Water Safety Begins at the Dock
National Safe Boating Week Urges Boaters to Wear Life Jackets, Be Safe
Contact:
Elinore Boeke, 202-721-1621
Brian Berry, 202-777-3524
Washington, DC—The Personal Watercraft
Industry Association (PWIA) reminds boaters on the eve of
National Safe Boating Week that safety on the water depends
on those who recreate on it. As law enforcement agencies patrol
our nation's public waterways, boaters themselves must make
the right decisions to ensure a safe experience for everyone.
And it starts with wearing a life jacket, or personal flotation
device (PFD).
National Safe Boating Week (May 17 - 23) is sponsored by
the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC), the National Association
of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U.S.
Coast Guard. PWIA joins this effort by encouraging personal
watercraft enthusiasts to "boat smart from the start"
by wearing an approved life jacket, enrolling in a boating
safety course, and being responsible and courteous operators.
“We encourage everyone to get out on the water and enjoy
themselves responsibly this boating season,” said Kirsten
Rowe, Executive Director of PWIA. "There are two things
we recommend every personal watercraft operator do before
they hop aboard and drive: enroll in a state-approved boating
safety course, and wear a life jacket. Knowledge and safety
both enhance your ability to have a good time."
PWIA offers free rental safety kits to rental businesses,
including a video and NASBLA-approved safety guidelines for
educating renters before they go out on the water. Manufacturers
have also loaned 13,000 PWC to law enforcement, rescue, and
research organizations for use in on-water patrols, search
and rescue operations, and marine mammal research.
PWIA actively encourages states to implement reasonable regulations
such as mandatory boating safety education for all personal
watercraft operators, a minimum age of 16 to operate a PWC,
use only during daylight hours, the establishment of no-wake
zones, and strict enforcement of boating safety and navigation
laws. (Model legislation and other information on personal
watercraft can be viewed at www.pwia.org.)
Personal watercraft (PWC, commonly known by their brand names,
including JET SKI, WaveRunner, and Sea-Doo) are enjoyed by
twenty million Americans every year, especially during the
peak boating months between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
# # #
Personal Watercraft Industry Association: www.pwia.org
National Safe Boating Week: www.safeboatingcampaign.com
United States Coast Guard: www.uscgboating.org
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