Traficom and Alko remind: You are not invincible, you are irreplaceable – wear a life jacket

The number of fatal pleasure boating accidents has decreased in recent years. Regardless, accidents still happen, especially in Finland’s inland waters. In 2023, 34 people perished in pleasure boating accidents. 

Most fatal accidents happen when a rowing boat or small outboard motor boat tips over. Life jackets or other flotation devices would reduce the number of fatal accidents.

“Now is a good time to check the condition of your manual and automatic life jackets. To those getting new life jackets, I recommend specialist shops. Many accidents happen in familiar waters, where watercraft users forego life jackets because they are lulled into a false sense of security. Accidents are usually sudden and escalate quickly, and a life jacket is only useful if worn. Nobody is invincible in water, but you are irreplaceable to your loved ones,” says Kimmo Patrakka, Chief Adviser at Traficom.

Alcohol weakens your boating ability
 

Alcohol is involved in most fatal boating accidents. The limit for drunk boating is a blood alcohol content of one per mille, but the risk of accidents is higher even at smaller doses of alcohol. Regardless of how skilled and experienced a boater you are, alcohol impairs your judgement and responsiveness and makes you more prone to taking risks. 

A state of intoxication of less than 0.5 per mille is enough to weaken your focus and judgement and push you to take risks. When the blood alcohol content is above 0.5 per mille, the brain’s coordinating ability decreases, reducing the ability to carry out tasks that require care and attention.

Alcohol makes you clumsier and weakens your balance. Falling overboard is not safe even when you are sober, but it poses a great risk to a person who has consumed alcohol. 

Traficom and Alko have launched a summer campaign to improve boating safety in Finland. In Finland, most boating-related drownings occur in the area of Vuoksi. Therefore, the boating safety campaign will be particularly prominent in Alko shops in eastern Finland in June. As part of the campaign in the area, Alko salespersons will be wearing life jackets to remind customers about safety.

“Boating safety is a familiar topic to Alko, and we have been campaigning for it over the years. This time, we were happy to join Traficom’s campaign, since preventing alcohol-related harm is part of Alko’s duties. We want to remind people that being stone-cold sober and wearing a life jacket make you fit for boating,” says Jari Hiekkataipale, Service Manager at Alko Eastern Finland.

Checklist for safe boating – 10 important steps
 

1. Know your boat and make sure it is safe and in good condition.
2. Check the boating conditions before heading out.
3. Bring along up-to-date nautical charts for route planning, if necessary. Share your planned route with your family or friends.
4. Make sure you have enough fuel, including reserve fuel.
5. Review the give-way rules, the Water Traffic Act and the master’s responsibilities.
6. Put on a life jacket or other flotation devices before setting off. Every person on board must wear a life jacket.
7. Make sure you have all the equipment and tools needed and check their condition. Motor boats and sailing boats over five metres long must be equipped with an oar, paddle or anchor with a rope, an emptying device and a quencher appropriate for the size of the outboard motor.
8. Set off sober. Enjoy alcoholic drinks on shore after boating.
9. Avoid boating with a hangover. Your boating fitness is worse when you are tired.
10. Save the maritime search and rescue emergency number on your phone: 0294 1000. On inland waters, use the national emergency number 112 in the event of an emergency.

Read more about choosing a life jacket, alcohol’s impact on boating, and other tips for safe boating at puepelastuliivit.fi (External link) (in Finnish).