Almost 60 percent of the crashes involved boats hitting one another or a fixed object. The legislation, strongly supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, takes effect January 1, 2000. While Boating Boat operators and passengers are being reminded to wear life jackets as they head to the water for the boating season this year. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of wearing an approved life jacket while enjoying time on the water. Manning said 19 people died as a result of boating accidents on Illinois waterways in 1998.
Life jackets are life savers, and the models available today are lightweight and easy to wear.
Illinois law requires life jackets, also known as personal flotation devices, or PFDs, be available for each person aboard a watercraft. State law also requires anyone operating a personal watercraft to wear a life jacket. Illinois law also requires youngsters under the age of 13 to wear a life jacket while aboard any watercraft under 26 feet in length at all times the boat is underway, unless they are below deck in an enclosed cabin. The Department offers free boating safety courses, which include a review of boating laws and instruction on operating watercraft with safety in mind. These free courses are open to anyone age 19 and older and are required for young people ages 12 to 18 who want to operate a boat or personal watercraft without adult supervision.