Organizations Join Forces To Prevent Missouri Boat Accidents

May 28, 2013
Each year, dozens of children are injured or killed as a result of boating accidents in the United States. In 2010, 21 children under the age of 12 died as a result of such incidents.
In an effort to prevent a Missouri Boat Accident from injuring or killing a child this summer, several organizations have partnered to create a campaign aimed at educating both kids and parents on water safety.
According to an article from KSMU Radio, the Mercy Injury Prevention Center, Safe Kids Springfield, the Missouri Water Patrol, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and the Brian and Nathan Keese Water Safety Organization are each offering safety tips to boaters. They say one of the most important aspects of boating safety is ensuring that each person aboard a watercraft is equipped with a well-fitting life preserver.
Safe Kids coordinator, Daphne Greenlee, stated that half of all children who perish in boating accidents are not wearing life jackets. Greenlee went on to explain that a life preserver should fit snuggly across the shoulders and chest in order to prevent it from coming off in the water.
Greenlee also encouraged parents to be vigilant of children around the water and to learn CPR in case of an emergency as well.
The St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer with CofmanTownsley recognize the dangers boating can pose and hope these tips are successful in preventing an accident that results in a fatality or injury.