Water, Water, Everywhere, So How Did I Get Hit?
Brian O Sutter
Accident Lawyers
The range of watercraft and water-based activities is truly staggering when you think about it. There are rowboats and paddleboats for when you want to get some exercise while you’re on the water, motorboats and sailboats for crossing lakes and finding good fishing spots, speedboats for when you want to feel the wind on your face, and yachts of all shapes and sizes for when you want to have a relaxing time somewhere far from shore.However, your watercraft isn’t the only one out there, and whether you’re alone fishing in the reeds of a muddy lake or navigating through a busy quay, you need to keep in mind a few basic safety rules in order to have a good time and avoid harming yourself and others.
Remember Your Life Jacket
The word “life” is in there for a good reason. Even if you know how to swim, even if you’re a good swimmer, if something happens to your boat a mile from shore or if something happens to you even in a small lake, you’ll be in much better shape if you can float without effort than if you have to rely on your energy reserves until someone can pull you from the water.
Keep Your Eyes Open For Swimmers
Large, popular beaches usually have buoys set up around the edges of the designated swimming area where boats aren’t allowed to go. However, small and private beaches don’t always have the courtesy to mark off where the swimmers will be, plus there are always a few daring individuals who swim beyond the buoys just to learn if they can. Beyond the designated beaches, Florida alone has 1,350 miles of coastline, and along much of it anyone can simply drive or walk up to the water’s edge and jump in for a quiet swim.
Pack It In After Dark
According to Florida law, you cannot operate a personal watercraft from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and that’s even if you’ve got navigation lights. It’s always hard to see after dark, but when you’re driving a car you’ve got certain advantages to help you get around. There are streetlights in towns, lines on the roads, lights on every car, and perhaps most importantly the ground doesn’t conceal any hidden obstacles or nighttime swimmers for your car to run into.
Don’t Drink And Pilot
Alcohol and heavy machinery do not mix. It doesn’t matter if you’re operating a band saw, driving home from the bar, or else looking for a new fishing spot after drinking half the contents of your cooler. When you’re in charge of something that can do some serious harm, you need to have all your wits about you, something which alcohol does not permit.
If you’ve been involved in a boating accident and you live in or around Port Charlotte or the Sarasota area, then you should contact All Injuries Law Firm right away for a free case evaluation. Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation for damaged property along with lost wages and pain and suffering from a physical injury. Most boats don’t go as fast as the average car on the highway, but they can still do a lot of damage if they run into the wrong object.