ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996              TAG: 9602280013
SECTION: BOAT SHOW                PAGE: BS-13 EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR

EDUCATION THE KEY TO BOATING SAFETY

Twenty-three people lost their lives in Virginia last year as the result of boating accidents.

Officials of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries have launched a three-prong effort to cut the number of fatalities, as well as the injuries and property damage that mar boating. The objectives:

1. Lure the operators of personal watercraft into boating education classes.

2. Get boaters to wear personal flotation devices.

3. Educate the people attracted to paddle sports, namely canoers and kayakers.

Last season, there were 52 accidents reported that involved personal watercraft. That was nearly 35 percent of the total accidents, an extremely high number considering personal watercraft account for only about 10 percent of the boats registered in the state, said Jeff Curtis, the departments boating safety coordinator.

``We are trying to make a larger awareness of personal watercraft safety,'' said Curtis.

The personal watercraft accident rate was even higher on Smith Mountain Lake, where it accounted for 63 percent of the 1995 accidents, said Paul Howell, the department's regional boating safety coordinator.

``We need to get more people who are operating personal watercraft to come to our classes,'' said Howell.

One problem, some personal watercraft operators don't consider themselves to be boaters; therefore they express no interest in boating education classes.

They are part of the boating scene, all right, said Howell. In fact, there are more rules governing personal watercraft than other boats.

Most boating education courses being offered this year will include a special segment on personal watercraft, said Howell.

Safety instructors are getting assistance from parents who are demanding that their youngsters take a course before they are allowed to operate the family personal watercraft, said Howell.

Fatalities would be trimmed sharply if all boaters would wear personal flotation devices, said Curtis. Of the 23 fatalities last year, only two involved victims who were wearing a life jacket.

``After looking at the accident reports, I believe 17 - maybe 18 - of the fatalities would have been prevented if the victims were wearing personal floatation devices,'' said Curtis.

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