Officials urge safe boating on Labor Day weekend
A boat heads out onto the Kootenai River below Kootenai Falls during efforts to locate the body of a 20-year-old man missing since jumping into the water near the swinging bridge last Wednesday.
HELENA – Labor Day Weekend is typically the last hurrah for people who love summer.
Weather depending, it’s a great time to get out on the water and celebrate before fall kicks in. Daytime highs in south Lincoln County are forecast in the 80s and even near 90.
Don’t forget you’ll be sharing the water with other boaters. Last year, more than 100,000 boats were registered and that doesn’t include non-motorized ones.
The region has seen its fair share of boating deaths this year, including one woman in the Kootenai River earlier this summer and several in Glacier National Park.
Boating safety is always important to remember, but here are some tips to help make sure your Labor Day boating adventure is successful and safe.
Never drink and operate a boat
Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents. Where the primary cause was known, alcohol was listed as the leading factor in 17 percent of deaths. Always designate a sober skipper to drive the boat.
Always wear a lifejacket
According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, where cause of death was known, 87 percent of drowning victims in recreational boating accidents were not wearing a lifejacket in 2023. Make sure your lifejacket has a label that says U.S. Coast Guard Approved. Kids 12 and under are legally required to wear a lifejacket at all times while the boat is in motion.
All boats can be dangerous
Based on Montana’s Boating Accident Report Database, between 70 and 75 percent of Montana boating fatalities occur on nonmotorized watercraft. These include rafts, kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards and row boats.
It is legally required that you have a lifejacket readily accessible while using these vessels. It is highly recommended that you wear your lifejacket while using non-motorized watercraft. Four out of five boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length.
Pay attention
The top five primary contributing factors in accidents are operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, excessive speed, and machinery failure.
For more boating safety information, visit fwp.mt.gov/activities/boating/safety.