Can Florida go two in a row? FWC hopes to keep boating fatalities low this month

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida Fish and Wildlife officers are hoping to have their second Memorial Day weekend without any boating fatalities in a row later this month as they kicked off awareness about boating safety Friday.

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Officers were on patrol in Lake Harris near Tavares to look for equipment issues, boating under the influence and boater alertness, though the rain kept many people indoors.

“There’s a lot of fun things that come out of boating,” FWC spokesman Chad Weber said. “People fail to see sometimes there are some hidden dangers. So planning for those dangers is a big part of it.”

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Lake County followed Brevard County for having the highest number of boating incidents in 2023, though no Central Florida counties appeared in the state’s top 10.

Many causes of crashes are preventable. Speeding and alcohol were big contributing factors last year, FWC data showed.

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“The legal limit in the state of Florida is .08%, just like it is on the roadways,” Weber explained. “If we do catch people that are above the legal limit they will be arrested and taken to jail.”

Weber advised boaters to check the weather before they went out, have the proper safety equipment, and let loved ones or friends know where they were launching from and boating to.

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