JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — If you’re heading out on the water this Labor Day weekend, make safety your top priority.
“Labor Day weekend is always going to be a busy time,” said Captain Tyler Barrus with Freedom Boat Club Northeast Florida. “The chances for something going south go up because there’s a lot of boats on the water.”
In 2024, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) reported 685 boating accidents during the year, and 81 of those were deadly.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
FWC says 41% of the deadly accidents resulted from a collision with fixed objects and boaters falling overboard. Captain Tyler Barrus is the Lead Training Instructor with Freedom Boat Club of Northeast Florida. He stresses how important it is for boaters to be on alert.
“There’s no roadways; people drive everywhere, so you constantly have to be aware of what’s going on around you,” said Captain Barrus. “Combine that with the fact that boats don’t have brakes, you just can’t stop.”
Another thing Captain Barrus wants you to keep in mind is that new state boating laws involve boating under the influence.
“BUI, Boating under the influence, now, is the same as if you are driving a car. You get stopped and you’re arrested for BUI, your land driver’s license is going to be suspended,” said Captain Barrus.
Captain Barrus says the best thing a boat captain can do to keep everyone safe is to be vocal.
“A lot of times operators don’t tell people what they’re going to do. In a car, if you hit the gas, you sit back in a seat. If a boat, if I hit the gas, you go flying off the back of the boat,” said Captain Barrus. “So, it’s important for operators.. to tell people what you’re going to do before you do it.”
You can read more about the new BUI regulations within Lucy’s Law by clicking here.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
