Life Jacket Safety
The Statistics Show
Statistics in the past have show 78% of fatal boating accidents are the result of drowning. Of that percentage 84% of victims were not wearing a life jacket.
These statistics are very alarming considering the easiness of wearing a life jacket while a boat is in motion or in rough waters.
Most states have a requirement to wearing a life jacket while a powered watercraft is in motion. A life jacket should always be worn during times of travel as times on the water can often be unpredictable. In a case were a victim were to be launched out of a boat a life jacket could be the only thing keeping them from living or dying.
A life jackets main purpose typically will be to keep the persons head above water and them floating on their back. This will allow an unconscious person to breath properly and time to be rescued. A life jacket will also allow the person to conserve energy. Often times those without life jackets will expend all their energy trying to stay afloat before they can get to shore or be rescued.
Types of PFDs / Life Jackets
Simply many of the excuses people have for not wearing their life jackets is that it is uncomfortable. This reasoning is certainly outdated. Finding a comfortable and user friendly life jacket with the amount of recreational sports that are conducted on the waters is much easier. There are life jackets readily available for unqiue water activities which includes fishing, skiing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and many other activities
As you can see in the photos above anglers can find exactly which type of life jacket they prefer to use. Most proper use life jackets can be worn comfortably all day. An inflatable life jacket has many benefits for its users such as being light weight, easy to use, and easy to store. On the opposite side of an inflatable PFD is a loaded jacket with multiple pockets and features. This is especially useful for kayakers and canoe anglers as they can keep more fishing necessities within reach.
Before choosing a life jacket you should always make sure it has the stamp of approval for the USCG (U.S. Coast Guard). It is also always important to pick a life jacket that is appropriate to the size of the person. Life jackets have certain straps and features that help the life jack perform its job when needed. If the life jacket is not properly fit or too big it can cause it perform poorly in a real situation.
