The Memorial Day holiday unofficially kicked off the boating season in South Carolina, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
With nearly 500,000 registered motorboats in the state, many people will take to the state's lakes and rivers for summer weekends of fun and relaxation.
"Unfortunately, for some, the weekend could end in tragedy," said Capt. Robert McCullough.
Last year, 23 people died on South Carolina's waters in boating-related incidents.
"In 91 percent of these accidents, drowning was the cause of death," McCullough said in a release. "While wearing a personal flotation device will not prevent a boating accident, it will give you a much better chance of surviving if you end up in the water."
All vessels are required to have at least one Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device that is U.S. Coast Guard-approved, wearable and of the proper size for each person aboard or being towed.
All children younger than 12 years of age are required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device while aboard a Class A (less than 16-feet-long) vessel.
Each person riding on a personal watercraft must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type I ,II, III, or V PFD.
"PFDs can save lives, but only if you use them," McCullough said. "Let's all do our part to keep our waterways safe this summer. Find out more about these and other safety rules by taking a free boater education course."
Course listings may be found at www.dnr.sc.gov/education/boated.html or by calling 1 (800) 277-4301.
