Oregon Public Broadcasting

More boats are out on the water in Oregon over the Fourth of July holiday than any other time of year.

All those boats lead to an increase in boating accidents and fatalities.

But Lieutenant Collin Bronson with the U.S. Coast Guard says many of these accidents and deaths could be prevented if boaters would just follow the same rules they do when driving a car.

Collin Bronson: “The rules and the safety precautions are about the same.  It’s a common sense approach to say that you don’t want to be under the influence of alcohol when you’re operating a boat or a car.  You know, you have people on the road, you have people on the waterways, your ability to safely maneuver and handle your vessel can or cannot compromise the safety of other people.”

Bronson also says all boats should have a Coast Guard approved lifejacket for everyone on-board. 

He says 90-percent of the people who drown in boating accidents are not wearing lifejackets.

Coast Guard statistics show nearly 700 people died last year in boating accidents in the U.S. and more than 5000 were injured.