As summer plans begin to take shape for individuals and families across the Gulf Coast, boats and personal watercraft will likely be a big part of many summer activities. Whether you plan to use them for fishing, exploring, or relaxing, it's important to implement basic boat and watercraft safety guidelines to prevent accidents or injuries.

In this week's Aegis blog post, we'll spotlight three different ways to improve boat and watercraft safety to ensure the protection of yourself, family, friends, and others.

Always Operate Vehicles Safely

One of the leading causes of injuries, accidents, or deaths from boats or personal watercraft are people operating them in unsafe ways. Some accidents and injuries are caused by people driving at a high rate of speed, while others may not be trained or licensed on how to operate them correctly.

Boats and personal watercraft should only be operated by experienced adults or older teens who are trained and licensed to use them safely. They also should be driven at lower speeds when near other boats to help prevent injuries and damages to your property or to other boats and watercraft.

Have Life Jackets or Flotation Devices Onboard

Federal law requires boaters to provide life jackets or flotation devices for everyone onboard, and for anyone on personal watercraft (such as jet skis) to wear life jackets when driving them. Too often these safety guidelines are ignored, which puts lives in jeopardy if someone falls off a boat or jet ski in rough waters.

Even if you or your boat guests are strong swimmers, it's always best to err on the side of caution and ensure that you have life jackets or floatation devices for each adult, and all children should wear life jackets as well.

Minimize Alcohol Consumption

It's common to see a fishing group enjoy a cold beer after a long day of being out on the water, or a party boat celebrating with alcoholic drinks, but when you're on the water, moderation is key, especially for anyone who is driving a boat. To reduce the possibility of injuries or accidents, make sure anyone operating a boat is not inebriated, and avoid operating jet skis or personal watercraft while intoxicated.

Aegis Helps You Have a Safer Summer

Aegis Insurance & Financial Services is committed to helping individuals get the insurance coverage needed to protect boats and personal watercraft. Our team of Personal Insurance agents can help you get the coverage you need so that you and your property are well protected in the event of damages, injuries, theft, or severe weather events.

Contact Aegis today for more information about Boat and Personal Watercraft Insurance, or fill out our online form to request a free quote.