DON’T LOSE CONTROL – Speed Kills on Land and Water

GOING TOO FAST?

Speeding on the water is just as risky as speeding on the road.

Being a good driver isn’t about speeding into heightened danger, it’s about driving to conditions and maintaining a safe speed that enables you to react to any situation, – and that also applies when you’re steering a boat.

Imagine a road that changes – a road that is ruffled up with wind, a road that shrinks and expands constantly in line with the tide, or a road that swirls with currents and undulates with waves.

Once you try and imagine the unpredictability of driving a car on liquid, you’ll realise that while being a  skipper is incredibly empowering, it also comes with a lot of responsibility – it’s your job to keep yourself and your passengers safe in an ever-changing environment.- You can still have a great day out on the water with your crew while proactively managing and minimising risks.


 

The important takeaway here is that floating over the water is just as much of a buzz – wind in your hair, sun on your brow – when you reduce your speed, especially in waves or chop. Plus, you’ll have ample time to confidently adjust your course should anything unpredictable float into your field of vision.

And boating is all about fun. To thrive and to survive to do it again another day, or every day if you’re lucky enough to live right on the water.

It’s that simple three-letter word, FUN, that can also cause some folk to forget about taking the proper precautions. A single momentary lapse in control that can not only put a stop to the fun, but can actually cause serious harm.

On a busy weekend, you might see others being cavalier, swimming in places they shouldn’t be, or showboating. However, if you stay under the signposted speed limit, and keep a safe distance from the shore, other craft and swimmers, you won’t be risking everything that makes boating fun in the first place. Instead you’ll be capable of safely reacting to the conditions, vessel traffic and range of other potential risks around you on the water.


But if you’re still not convinced it’s in your best interest to go light on the pedal or throttle, here are some more good reasons:

– The faster you go, the longer it takes to stop safely and the greater the force of impact if you collide with something else.

– One in 10 fatal or serious injury incidents on our waterways are caused by driving a vessel above the speed limit. Slow down and always drive to the conditions.

– You might end up getting a ticket and losing your license, AKA your ‘Freedom Ticket’.


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