Labor Day weekend: Officials advise boater safety on Lake Travis over holiday
AUSTIN, Texas - Labor Day weekend on Lake Travis draws large crowds as the summer boating season winds down and the temperatures reach the triple digits.
"Labor Day weekend, like so many, we will see an influx of recreational boaters," said Bret Fendt with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. "We want to remind them to remain safe, boat sober, and to adhere to the rules of the road and the laws that are out there."
Game Wardens and local law enforcement joined forces to ensure boaters and swimmers have the proper equipment on the water.
"For the life jackets, it’s a big thing with us, so anybody that is 12 and under is required by state law to have a life jacket on at all times while the boat is underway," said Jaron Cox, Travis County Game Warden. "As far as the vessels themselves, they have got have a life jacket for every person on board, that fits them properly."
"With the lake levels being down, stay calm, remain patient, there is a lot of people looking to launch boats," Fendt said. "We just ask people to use good judgment."
The game wardens also recommend using good judgment while drinking alcoholic beverages on the lake.
"Doesn't matter if everybody says, oh, I’m hydrating, and they hold up alcohol or something like that," Cox said. "Drink water, lots and lots of water. We have already had calls yesterday as well for dehydration calls."
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According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, last year, wardens issued more than 300 citations and 433 warnings for boating safety violations.
In addition, there were three arrests made for boating while intoxicated, four separate arrests for driving while intoxicated and 22 additional arrests for violating the law.
"We've had a couple drownings, we've had a lot of vessel accidents, just people not paying attention to where they are going, things they are doing, so we have been working those," Cox said.
Texas game wardens have responded to 35 drownings and 22 boat-related deaths this summer and advise focusing on safety anytime you enter the water, driving at safe speed, learning to swim, checking the weather and participating in a boater education class.