Boaties are being urged to put their safety gear on before heading out onto the water this summer.
Marine Infrastructure Minister Craig Wallace has urged boaties to ensure their safety this season by following a simple message, “Life jacket – wear it.”
“When it’s busy on the water, there’s bad weather or you’re boating alone, a life jacket is your best protection,” said Mr Wallace.
He urged skippers to put their safety first reminding them of the people that have died on Queensland’s waters this last year.
“It’s a tragedy that 12 of the 14 people who died on the water in Queensland in 2010 weren’t wearing lifejackets.”
In Queensland it is compulsory to wear a life jacket when crossing a coastal bar in small boats (less than 4.8m in length) or for children under 12-years-old in an open boat, less than 4.8m in length while it is underway.
For more information about Queensland’s marine laws and information visit Maritime Safety Queensland by visiting www.msq.qld.gov.au.
