tx1961whaler
Vice Admiral
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- May 31, 2008
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<Dallas Morning News>
Even though summer is still around the corner, it has already been a deadly season on Texas lakes.
"We're off to a grim start this boating season," said Major Alfonso Campos, chief of marine enforcement for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Already this year, 13 people ? four in North Texas ? have lost their lives in Texas boating accidents, one more than by this time last year. Sixty-one people died on Texas waterways in 2008, the most this decade.
Experts say that alcohol plays a role in about 30 percent of water fatalities in Texas and across the nation. Weather and water conditions, reckless operation, overloading and speeding are other factors.
About 90 percent of victims in fatal boating accidents aren't wearing life preservers, officials say. The 10 percent who die while wearing buoyant vests usually have another injury ? they are hit by a propeller, run over by a boat or suffer some other trauma.
Year Number of Fatalities
1998 53
1999 51
2000 55
2001 41
2002 61
2003 38
2004 36
2005 36
2006 47
2007 52
2008 61
Think it can't happen to you???
Be safe!
Even though summer is still around the corner, it has already been a deadly season on Texas lakes.
"We're off to a grim start this boating season," said Major Alfonso Campos, chief of marine enforcement for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Already this year, 13 people ? four in North Texas ? have lost their lives in Texas boating accidents, one more than by this time last year. Sixty-one people died on Texas waterways in 2008, the most this decade.
Experts say that alcohol plays a role in about 30 percent of water fatalities in Texas and across the nation. Weather and water conditions, reckless operation, overloading and speeding are other factors.
About 90 percent of victims in fatal boating accidents aren't wearing life preservers, officials say. The 10 percent who die while wearing buoyant vests usually have another injury ? they are hit by a propeller, run over by a boat or suffer some other trauma.
Year Number of Fatalities
1998 53
1999 51
2000 55
2001 41
2002 61
2003 38
2004 36
2005 36
2006 47
2007 52
2008 61
Think it can't happen to you???
Be safe!