Vic Government calls for boating safety

The Victorian Government is urging boaters to be safer on the water this summer with the launch of Maritime Safety Victoria’s summer safety campaign which it calls ‘Wear a lifejacket or wear the consequences’.

Minister for Ports Luke Donnellan (pictured) launched the safety campaign at Station Pier on Friday (December 4) coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the introduction of lifejacket laws in Victoria.

"Victorians need to wear a lifejacket or wear the consequences. Summer is a time to enjoy with family and friends, but there are still preventable deaths and injuries occurring on the water that shouldn’t be happening," Mr Donnellan said.

Mr Donnellan added that Victoria is about to enter the peak boating season and recreational boaters and watercraft users need to understand the importance of being equipped with a lifejacket and wearing one as a normal part of every trip.

Transport Safety Victoria figures show that of the 1286 recreational boating incidents in 2014-15, 3.3 per cent resulted in death, serious injury or loss of the vessel – the three worst outcomes.

Statistics also show that over the past 10 years an average of 2.9 fewer people have died  per annum boating compared with the 10 years before the lifejacket laws were introduced.

Mr Donnellan also announced the recruitment of 25 additional Boating Safety Officers to promote safety standards at high-use boating locations in an effort to reach out to more than the 10,000 boaters across the state.

The additional Boating Safety Officers are funded out of the Government’s $8 million 2015-16 Boating Safety and Facilities Program (BSFP).

Funding from the BSFP also supports local boating groups, local councils and other community organisations for projects that make recreational boating safer and more accessible for all Victorians.

For more information about boating safety, visit www.transportsafety.vic.gov.au/maritime-safety