IL Conservation Police urge boating safety ahead of holiday weekend

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — If you plan to be on the water over the holiday weekend, officials are urging boaters to wear their life jackets.

Illinois Conservation Police officials said that so far this year, they’ve responded to 48 boating-related situations. They said 15 people have died and another 15 were hurt. Of those deaths, two were caused by severe injuries; the rest were from drownings.

Conservation Police will be patrolling Illinois rivers, lakes and Lake Michigan this weekend, watching for safety violations and reckless operators.

“It’s shaping up to be a beautiful holiday weekend across Illinois, and we anticipate large numbers of boaters out on the lakes and rivers,” said Lt. Curt Lewis, the boating safety administrator for the Illinois Conservation Police. “Get out there, soak up the sunshine, have a great time and make lots of memories. But remember: the best way to guarantee everyone makes it home safely is to wear a life jacket anytime they’re on the water – no exceptions.”

Some tips to follow include using the engine cutoff switch to stop the boat engine if the operator falls overboard and never operating a boat under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Additionally, Conservation Police advise boaters to take a boating safety course , research before renting any boats and keep an eye on the forecast.

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