Each year, millions of people visit rivers, lakes, and oceans around the country. Boating is a popular summer past time either on its own or in combination with fishing, water skiing, tubing, wake boarding, and more.

Whenever you are on board a boat, you have a responsibility to make sure the boat is operated safely so that it does not endanger you, your friends, or others. Always keep an eye out for unsafe boaters and make sure that you and others on your boat follow boating and safety laws.

Know Your Boating Safety Laws

If you choose to operate a boat, be sure you know how to do so safely. Take a boating safety course to learn the basics and, when first starting out, begin in an uncrowded area and have a friend or family member show you how to run it. A good general guideline is that if you are not old enough to have a driver's license, you are not old enough to operate a boat on your own. Other laws and safety guidelines to consider are:

• Always keep enough life jackets for everyone on board, in case you do have a boating accident. Not only is this common sense, it's the law.
• Give other watercraft and swimmers plenty of clearance. Do not run your boat too close to skiers, wake boarders, tubers, or other vulnerable water users.
• Do not drink while boating. The chances of a fatal accident sharply increase when you consume alcohol, and being arrested for boating under the influence carries serious penalties, including a criminal record.
• Use lights in the evening and at night on the boat to help your visibility and to ensure that other people can see you.

Reckless Boating

Following the above laws and guidelines will help to minimize your boating accident risk. Even if you follow the law, however, some other boaters may choose to be reckless. It is extremely important to watch out for reckless boaters because they are often the source of fatal accidents. If you see a boat behaving erratically, unsafely passing other boats, or otherwise behaving recklessly, be sure to do the following:

• Keep a wide distance between you and the boat.
• Report the boat immediately with a description and location so that a marine unit can investigate.
• Warn boaters and other water users in the area of the reckless behavior so that they know to stay clear.

If You are Injured

If you have been involved in an accident with a reckless boater, consider contacting a personal injury attorney immediately. A personal injury attorney can help you find the person or persons responsible for your injury and hold them legally accountable so that you get the compensation you deserve.

For more information and legal advice on boating accident injury liability, please see the website of experienced Indianapolis accident attorneys at the Charles D. Hankey Law Office, P.C. here.

Joseph Devine