PREVENTABLE TRAGEDY - Recent drownings making the news reflect a disturbing trend: a big jump in boating deaths that experts say can be easily prevented. It was reported that Shreveport City Marshall Charlie Caldwell drowned when fell off a boat near Destin, Florida, reports say he wasn’t wearing a life-vest. Closer to home, Texas State park officials reports three deaths at Lavon Lake last weekend – all these could have been prevented if the victims were wearing life jackets. Cody Jones is the boating law administrator for Texas Parks and Wildlife.
“The simple fact of placing that life tagging on yourself is just like putting a seatbelt when you get in the car. It'll save your life and there are a number of options out there for personal floatation devices nowadays,” Jones said.
Jones says a majority of victims who died in boating accidents last year, more than 90 percent weren’t wearing life jackets. Texas has had more than a 30 percent increase in drowning deaths in the past two years.
