OUTDOORS & RECREATION
Parks Officials: Life Jackets Required For Boaters On Utah Waters
May 21, 2020, 6:41 PM | Updated: 6:44 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – State officials have reminded boaters and anyone else on the water to wear life jackets, as waves of Utahns were expected to get outside over the Memorial Day weekend, now that the pandemic hibernation has eased the changing COVIT-19 threat level from orange to yellow.
Utah State Parks officials are getting out the urgent life jacket message with new public service advertisement reminding the public to have and wear life jackets.
Utah has already reported 3-water related deaths within the past two weeks, according to a news release from the Department of Natural Resources. The release said none of the 3 victims had on life jackets.
“Life jackets are essential pieces of safety gear for anyone venturing out onto the water,” said Ty Hunter the Utah State Parks Boating Program Coordinator. In addition, he said, “Nationally, 80% of people who drowned in boating accidents would have survived had they been wearing a life jacket.”
Utah law requires that there must be at least one properly sized U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person aboard a vessel. However, state law does not require adults to wear a life jacket whereas children younger than 13 are required to wear a life jacket.
Still, Utah State Parks highly recommends that everyone wear a life jacket when out on the water.
The release said life jackets must be readily accessible and not in an out-of-reach location or in original packaging.
As a reminder, the state is releasing a new public service announcement as a reminder to wear life jackets. The state advertisements have featured “Big Roy” in previous years and he makes a humorous and slightly goofy return this year.
Later this year the state plans to release more serious psa videos.
The state has posted a comprehensive list of life jacket laws and styles.
Who Needs to Wear a Life Jacket?
- Children under 13 years of age are required to wear their life jacket.
- Participants engaged in towing activities, anyone on a PWC, river sections that are not designated as flat water are required to wear a life jacket.
- Any boat 16’ and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must carry a throwable PFD called a Type IV.
- Throwable devices must be immediately available for use such as in the cockpit or near the helm.
- Utah law requires that there must be at least one properly sized U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket for each person aboard a vessel.
- While not required by law, Utah State Parks highly recommends that everyone wear a life jacket when out on the water.
