BOATIES BEHAVING MORE SAFELY

New Maritime NZ research shows recreational boaties are behaving more safely, with various indicators showing improvements. Lifejacket wearing behaviour, for example, is steady. In addition, more boaties are checking the weather, taking two ways to call for help, and avoiding alcohol when going out on the water.

The Ipsos 2018 Recreational Boating Survey canvassed adult members of the general public regarding their boating habits. It examined the extent to which the population participates in recreational boating activities, with a focus on safetyrelated attitudes and behaviours, and awareness of Maritime NZ’S recent recreational boating safety campaigns and related activities.

Maritime NZ Deputy Director (and Incoming Chair of the Safer Boating Forum) Sharyn Forsyth says the results are encouraging.

“It’s fantastic to see that 92% of boaties say that boating safety is personally important to them because attitude influences behaviour. The decade spent by the Safer Boating Forum and councils promoting safer boating is really increasing boaties’ safety awareness.”

Lifejackets remain the most prevalent form of safety device taken on boating trips and the number of boaties wearing their lifejackets on the water all or most of the time remains stable at 75%.

“Most encouraging are the significant increases from last year in the three other risk areas – checking the weather, taking communications and avoiding alcohol before going out on the water.”

Boaties checking the weather has risen to 85%; 67% are avoiding alcohol ‘every time’; and 43% of have at least two ways to signal or call for help if needed.