May 23, 2013 - Personal Injury by Justin Roberts
With Memorial Day weekend approaching, it’s time to talk boating safety again. With over 600,000 registered boats, Texas is number six in the nation for boat ownership. Texas has more squares miles of inland water than any other state. It is also one of the leading states for boating fatalities.
With the coming holidays, more and more people will be headed to the water to fish and boat. Following a few common sense rules will keep you, your family, and others safe.
First and foremost, never drink and drive anything. Just as in driving a car, drinking and driving a boat is illegal. A person who is either impaired by alcohol or who has a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher while operating a boat can be arrested for BWI (boating while intoxicated). The reason for this is simple. Just like drinking and driving, drinking and boating doubles your chances of having an accident.
Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD) or a life jacket. Most boating fatality victims found in the water were not wearing a PDF. In Texas, it’s the law that children 13 and younger must wear a PDF while the boat is moving.
If operating a personal watercraft, be extra careful. Some PWC’s are difficult to maneuver at slower speeds. All people riding on a personal watercraft are required by state law to wear personal flotation devices.
Last but not least, always have a second person watching the water. Unlike the road where cars can only come from two directions, boats can come from any direction. So, when operating a boat, keep an eye out in all directions.
If engaged in the activity of tubing (that is pulling somebody on a tube behind the boat), it is especially important to have at least two people acting as lookouts. If you are trying to watch a person on a tube and drive the boat at the same time, something bad is going to happen.
For over 30 years, the personal injury lawyers of Roberts & Roberts have fought to make Texas highways and lakes safer for Texans. If you, or someone you know, have been seriously injured in a car crash, motorcycle accident, collision with an 18‑wheeler, or collision on a lake with another boat… call us. We can help. The call costs you nothing… it could mean everything.
Justin is an attorney at Roberts & Roberts and focuses his practice on mass tort litigation, where he specializes in helping individuals who are harmed by recalled or unsafe pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices. He has earned recognition as a “Top 40 Under 40” Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers. Prior to joining Roberts & Roberts, Justin served as an attorney in all three branches of Texas’s state government, including as a Briefing Attorney on the Texas Supreme Court. He also represented electric and natural gas utilities in complex regulatory proceedings before the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Railroad Commission of Texas. Justin is a published author in the St. Mary’s Law Journal.
