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Summer Safety Tips
Tips for staying safe while enjoying the summer weather on the lake!
The gentle wind cools sun-kissed skin as boats cruise across beautiful blue waters. It's a typical summer day in Minnesota. Families and friends fill the lake, escaping realities and enjoying life. For a decade I watched this ritual every summer, and every summer I had to call 911.
Simple safety rules, if followed, could prevent the many injuries, accidents and even fatalities that alter the typical boating experience. This season, make sure to refresh your safety knowledge before you hit the water.
Trailer Safety
Stop. Check your trailer’s brakes and lights often.
A perfect fit. Make sure the ball is the appropriate size for the tongue of the trailer. If the ball is too small, the trailer could unhitch if you hit a bump.
Size matters. Trailers need to be big enough for the boat they are towing.
Buckle up. Use tow straps on the back of the boat and trailer, and a safety chain on the bow and front of the trailer. These can be found at most marine stores.
Go the distance. Leave at least 500 feet from the cars ahead while towing a boat on non-residential roads.
Look before launching. Many accidents happen when drivers back their trailers into other trailers or pedestrians in the launch ramp.
Practice makes perfect. Practice loading and unloading on a day that isn’t too busy at the ramp.
Stop the spread of exotic species. Clean your boat and trailer after pulling your boat from the water — every time.
Water Safety
Learn to swim. It’s never too late to learn. Too many lives are lost because boaters fall overboard and don’t know how to swim. Contact the local Red Cross, community center or an athletic club for lessons.
Learn CPR and first aid. Basic first aid and CPR can help prevent the loss of life or serious injury.
Watch closely. Keep children constantly supervised.
Respect the water. It’s fun but it is also dangerous if not taken seriously. Teach children and passengers safety and respect for the water.
Check the depth before diving. Serious injury can occur if you dive headfirst into shallow waters. Go feet first, the first time in. Remember, dropoffs can be deceiving.
Look before jumping. Avoid landing on objects or people.
Know your limits. The sun, dehydration and activity can tire you out. Stay close to shore, a dock or watercraft.
Always have life jackets accessible. Float toys and rafts are not substitutes.
Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion
Fatigue
Nausea
Headaches
Excessive Thirst
Muscle aches and cramps
Weakness
Confusion or anxiety
Drenching sweats and cold, clammy skin
Slowed or weakened heartbeat
Dizziness
Fainting
Agitation
Symptoms of Heat Stroke
Nausea
Vomiting
Headache
Dizziness/Vertigo
Fatigue
Hot, flushed, dry skin
Rapid Heart Beat (160-180 beats per minute)
Decreased sweating
Shortness of breath
Decreased urination
Blood in urine or stool
Increased body temperature (104-108 F)
Confusion, delirium, loss of consciousness
Convulsions
Boating Safety
Wear your life jacket. Have jackets that are the appropriate size for passengers, meet the legal requirements and are in good condition.
Alcohol and boating don’t mix well. Boaters under the influence are 10 times more likely to die in an accident than sober boaters. Blood alcohol content (BAC) at or above .10 is illegal in Minnesota while operating a boat.
Take your seat. Passengers need to sit in seats when the boat is moving, not on the bow or transom. It’s fun, but passengers can easily slip into the water and under the boat. It’s also illegal in Minnesota.
Be cautious, be aware. Boaters average only 110 hours on the water per year and don’t react as quickly as they would in a car.
Have a float plan. Tell someone responsible where you are. If something happens and you need assistance, people will know where to look for you.
Take a boating course. The U.S. Power Squadron offers courses on navigation rules, emergency procedures and the effects of wind,water conditions and weather.
Get your boating license. Children under 16 need one to operate boats in Minnesota, but it’s a good idea for adults, too.
Talk with your hands. Use proper hand signals to signal the boat operator when skiing, tubing or boarding.
Watch the weather. Weather conditions can change quickly on the lake. Watch the sky and other boaters. If you see a lot of boaters suddenly leaving the lake, a storm is probably on the way. Stop boating as soon as you see or hear a storm approaching.
Stay calm. Many accidents happen when boaters panic.
Watch your speed. Speed limits are generally posted at public launches for day, evening and inclement weather.
Check your gear before you go.
Know the rules of the road.
Know what different buoys mean.
Equipment Safety
Have the proper safety equipment on board. Check to make sure they work and meet regulations. Regulations for Minnesota boaters can be found at www.dnr.state.mn.us or www.dnr.state.wi.us and your local marina.
A U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III or V wearable PFD (personal flotation device) for each person and one Type IV “throwable” device must be immediately available. Devices that are stored or packaged will not help in an emergency. PFDs must be the proper size.
Have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved, charged and accessible fire extinguisher on board.
Navigation lights need to work and be placed appropriately, especially at night. Lights are used to spot other crafts and for determining navigation.
Motorboats 16 feet and longer need whistles or horns that produce audible sounds for at least two seconds, and that can be heard from half a mile to two miles, depending on size of the boat and state. Check the new Minnesota and Wisconsin boating regulations for exact requirements.
Shape up. Be sure the boat and ski equipment are in good shape and don’t need repair.
Restrict your weight. Don’t overload the boat, personal watercraft or inflatables.
Boating Statistics
In 2001, 826,048 boats were registered in Minnesota and 575,920 in Wisconsin.
4,274 injuries, 6,419 boating accidents and 681 fatalities occurred in 2001 in the United States.
498 of the fatalities in Minnesota were due to drowning and 420 could have been survivable if the victims had worn life jackets.
8 out of 10 victims of fatal accidents were not wearing life jackets.
34% of fatalities involved alcohol.
A boat operator with a blood alcohol concentration above .10 percent is estimated to be more than 10 times as likely to die in a boating accident than an operator with zero blood alcohol concentration.
80% of deaths involved an operator who did not have any boating safety education.
Accidents caused approximately $1.5 million in property damage in Minnesota.
Accidents caused approximately $1.1 million in property damage in Wisconsin.
One-fourth of accidents in Minnesota were due to a collision with another boat.
One-third of accidents in Wisconsin were due to a collision with another boat.
One-half of all the accidents were caused by operators between the age of 26 and 55.
Safety Sites
Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources