In light of the success my other Summer PSA had (the one about sunscreen) I thought it was time to talk about another summer safety issue: Boating. Boating is a very fun summer activity to participate in. I often want to rent a pontoon boat when I visit Destin each summer and go dock near the overpass with everyone else and just relax all day but normally I run out of time before I can do this. While you may or may not know this Boating Operating Under the Influence is illegal. It is the same as operating a car under the influence with similar consequences and is not something that should be taken lightly.
In Arizona last year, 50% of all fatal boating accidents were alcohol related in 2007 and 1/3 of all fatal boating accidents nationwide are alcohol related. Arizona has released 2 PSAs that I think everyone should watch before jumping onto a boat this summer so that you can be well informed and know what to look for if you are with others who are downing an extra beer or two than yourself.
The first video is a Boat Sober Commercial. It is very short at 30 seconds and is a 30 seconds that could save your life. Please take a few minutes to watch.
The second video PSA released focuses on Arizona Boating and shows all of the fun activities you can do in the water. While the focus is on Arizona the message is the same no matter what state you visit and take up water sports in.
For more information on safe boating activities or to take a class in person or online check out Boating Education Online. It is a very informative site and one that everyone should spend a few minutes reading.
Happy Boating!
