Poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti once said, “the sea had no king but God alone”. Man has been drawn to open waters for ages. But as serene as open waters may be, one must never forget that tumultuous water may be dangerous for even the strongest of boaters.

Recreational boating activities are thus subjected to strict regulations to ensure the safety of all boaters. The Department of Natural Resources in Illinois has even started educating people regarding boating accidents free of charge in an effort to ensure a safe boating experience. The free courses put an emphasis on becoming aware of current boating laws and restrictions.

Being attentive on water may be the key in preventing  boating accidents. It was found out that a lack of awareness regarding boating safety rules was one of the leading causes of fatal boating accidents. To combat this trend, every year trained and expert volunteers come to aid the public in understanding boating safety measures.

Recreational boating activities include all such activities which are not carried out in lieu of commerce or trade or government assignments with the boat on waters. Recreational boating accidents thus include fatal accidents, boaters and boats disappearing due to drowning and boat capsizing, and injuries caused from boating accidents.

An occupant of a boat who is involved in a boating accident is required by law to report to the authorities as soon as possible. To avoid such accidents people are also encouraged to only travel in vessels that are registered for recreational purposes.

Source:  DNR.Illinois.gov, “ Recreational Boating Accident Report 2012 “, accessed on Dec. 4, 2014

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