Boating Rules Help to Prevent Accidents

Boating Rules Help to Prevent Accidents

If you are heading out on the water this summer, it’s important to keep it in mind that the boating rules established by the state of North Dakota are there to protect you. In many cases, these boating rules have been designed after years of study and in response to serious accidents that were completely preventable.

Although accidents can always happen, you can do a lot of prevention by making sure that you have the right materials on board and that you keep an eye on everyone on or behind the boat. These simple steps can go a long way towards protecting your best interests and minimizing the chances that you’ll be involved in a Minot boating accident.

Knowing the rules before you hit the water can help to avoid a dangerous accident and a personal injury claim. It is most important to make sure that there are plenty of life jackets for everyone on board. According to the North Dakota Game & Fish Department game wardens, failing to provide enough life jackets for individuals on the water craft is the biggest boating violation accords the state.

If you operate a boat of less than 27 feet in length, it is essential to have a personal floatation device on board for everyone on the boat. Remember that children 10 and under also must wear a personal floatation device at all times. The second thing to do to avoid a boating accident is to ensure that you never drink and operate a boat.

Although it’s certainly fun to be out on the water and to kick back and enjoy the sunshine with your friends, make sure that the operator of the boat is never consuming alcohol and compromising his or her ability to operate the boat safely and make important judgement calls. DUIs on the water can lead to devastating injuries and costly personal injury claims.

Finally, if you are going to be using any extra devices like tubes or water skis, make sure that someone has been appointed to be the look out to report problems in the event that the driver is unable to monitor the skier or tuber status. The driver should always be focused on operating the boat and looking ahead to avoid accidents and maintain maximum safety so someone else should be looking out for the person behind the boat as well.

Have you already been involved in a boating accident in Minot and have concerns about your rights? You need to contact the Larson Law Office today to learn more about whether or not you have grounds for a personal injury claim as well as what’s involved in moving forward with a claim if you decide that is best for you. We’re here to help you figure out your next steps.