Change tack on water safety to save lives
At this time of year, we tend to focus our attention on road deaths, particularly the role drinking and driving plays in them. But as a province and a region surrounded by oceans and dotted with lakes, it is also vital to consider the dangers that lurk on the water as opposed to roads. The fact is, quite a few people die while working or enjoying leisure time on waterways. In its annual report, the Canadian Red Cross released unofficial numbers showing that there were 39 water-related deaths in Atlantic Canada in 2018. Nova Scotia’s share of that total was 16.
Some of the deaths were related to commercial fishing while others occurred while people were involved in recreational fishing, boating and swimming at lakes and on beaches.
As it would be for any safety-minded organization, it is frustrating for the Red Cross to see multiple, needless losses of life. It diligently sends out reminders for boaters to use life-jackets and not to drink alcohol while on the water. Yet it’s difficult to make a dent in fatality figures that are attributable to such carelessness and recklessness.
The Lifesaving Society says that most drownings tend to involve men and boats. Men over the age of 50 have a greater tendency to fall out of fishing boats, kayaks or canoes. And sometimes those vessels capsize.
Often, drowning victims are not wearing lifejackets or personal flotation devices because they feel they are strong enough swimmers. They might have been in their youth, but fitness often fades with age. This means that these deaths are preventable and futile.
In late 2018, the federal government cracked down on impaired driving with new legislation that gives police more leeway to catch offenders.
Yet even in this region surrounded by water, people don’t seem to realize that the same laws governing impaired driving on the road also apply to boaters. It is a criminal offence to operate a boat while under the influence of drugs, alcohol or controlled substances. Also news to some is that passengers on a boat may consume alcohol only if the vessel has permanent cooking and sleeping facilities and a permanent toilet. As well, the boat must be anchored or secured to a dock.
Not all water-related deaths are alcohol-related, but enough of them are. It is time for stronger signals from all levels of government on water safety and the dangers of drinking and boating. Public education campaigns can only go so far; stronger enforcement is the best tool to deter dangerous behaviour.