JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Many people were out on the water taking advantage of the long Memorial Day weekend, one of the busiest of the year for recreational boaters.
RELATED: Five people killed in boat crash near Savannah
But David Grigg with Freedom Boating Club, the oldest and largest boat club in the nation, warns a fun day on the water can quickly turn tragic if you aren’t thinking about the rules of the water. “On any holiday weekend, on any weekend around the summertime, you’ve just gotta skipper sober,” Grigg said.
Action News Jax spoke to Grigg after five people were killed on the Wilmington River near the Savannah area over the weekend when two boats collided. The Associated Press reports one of the boaters, Mark Christopher Stegall, 45, has been charged with boating under the influence.
The crash is the second involving a boat and serious injuries on that particular river just this month. Another man was killed May 5 when a boat he was aboard struck an unlit channel marker near the Savannah Yacht Club and he was hit on the head by an unknown object, authorities said.
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In addition to staying sober and wearing life jackets, Grigg shared another crucial safety tip. “Make sure your kill switch is connected to you, anything could happen, it could get choppy out there, you fall over, your kill switch is connected to you, it’s gonna shut the boat right off,” he said.
According to the FWC, more than half the reported boating accidents last year were from collisions, and 45 percent of those collisions were because the boater wasn’t aware of their surroundings.
The FWC reports 60 boating fatalities per 100,000 registered vessels in Florida last year. Florida also leads the nation in boating accidents.
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