By law, boaters must have life jackets but they don't have to wear them.
Today, the Lifesaving Society thinks changing that law will save lives.
When Lisa Wardle and her family are out in their boat, there's one rule everyone has to follow. Everyone has to “have to have a life jacket on. All of us wear life jackets; it’s as simple as that for safety reasons.”
But for many boaters, a life jacket isn't something that's ever worn. Typically they're tucked under seats, and pulled out for safety checks or water sports.
Juri Otsason says he rarely puts one on.
“I guess it's the time and inconvenience of putting one on. It's a very short trip a pontoon boat on a nice day so we don't bother,” he says.
The Lifesaving Society is trying to change that mentality. They are launching a campaign encouraging every boater to wear a life jacket. Already this summer there has been an increase in the number of boater fatalities attributed to drowning in Canada: 66 people have died compared to 54 last year.
“Looking at those cases and those examples these were people who didn't expect to go in the water,” says Barbara Byers with the Lifesaving Society. “The majority of people who drown while boating enter the water by accident.”
The main complaints people have about life jackets are they're bulky, hot and somewhat uncomfortable. But these days you can find lifejackets that weigh about a pound, fit around your waist can inflate if you fall in.
And while these less bulky life jackets are more expensive than most, $150 to $200 compared to around $25 for a basic model, Byers says the cost is nothing compared to someone's life.
“(It) may seem like a lot, but you spend money for gas, for stereos for your boat itself,” Byers says. “If you build it into your cost it could save your life.”
Even if you don't choose to wear a lifejacket, you must have at least one jacket on board for every passenger. If you're missing one, it's a fine of $240 and from there it's $100 for every person without a lifejacket.
