Age limits, restrictions apply for operators driving boats, personal watercraft in Ga.

Boaters under the age of 16 are reminded that there is a minimum age requirement to operate a boat or personal watercraft (PWC) on public lakes and waterways according to The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Divi- sion (WRD).

Young boaters can satisfy the minimum age requirements of this law by either taking a boating safety course or operating a boat under the supervision or in the accompaniment of an adult. WRD encourages adults to keep an eye on individuals not authorized to operate vessels, and to never leave young children unattended on vessels.

"Minimum age requirements are a necessity for the safety of the operator of the vessel as well as everyone else on the water," says Lt. Col. Homer Bryson, Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement. "Just like the privilege of driving a car, young people should take the operation of a personal watercraft or other vessel very seriously and realize that they can avoid a serious incident by educating themselves about boating safety."

Minimum boat operator age requirements are based on the age of the boat operator and the size of the vessel. For a complete listing of what ages can legally operate what type of vessel, visit the WRD website at www.goboatgeorgia.com, select "Boating," "Boating Regulations" and then "Before Going Out" or contact a WRD Law Enforcement Office.

In Georgia, there are three ways that young boat operators can take a boating safety course to satisfy the requirements of the minimum age law. The classroom course is a free, six-hour class taught by WRD conservation rangers and volunteers that covers the basics of boating. Boat operators can go to www.goboatgeorgia. com to finda classroom location or an Internet boating safety course. Another option for boat operators is the home study course. Boaters can receive a "Boat Georgia" manual and a boating safety video by ordering it on the Internet at www.boat-ed.com or by calling 1-800-460-9698 (the cost of the video boating course is $29.95).

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) conducted a recent analysis revealing that over the past 10 years a number of adults have carelessly left a child unattended on a vessel. This situation often resulted in the child starting the engine and taking off, leading to injury or even death of the unattended child. According to statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Accident Report Database, 36 accidents involving young children have occurred, causing more than 30 injuries and three fatalities.

"Safety regarding children and boating cannot be emphasized often enough," says Bryson. "To be proactively safe, don't leave a young child unattended on a vessel in the water, remove the lanyard attached to the engine cut-off switch when the vessel is docked, beached or otherwise unattended, and don't allow anyone who is not able to hold on to an authorized vessel operator securely and with both feet on the deck to ride." For more information, visit www. goboatgeorgia.com or contact a WRD Law Enforcement Office.

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