VERMONT: Children under the age of 12 must wear a PFD on an open deck. Children under the age of 15 must wear them on sailboats. In addition, all towed persons must wear a life jacket. The fines amount to US$84. Each state may have additional wear and tear requirements, for example for water skiing, personal watercraft, whitewater navigation activities and during certain months of cool weather. In addition, a boat 16 feet or more, except canoes and kayaks) must be equipped with a disposable floating device. See specific government requirements for lifejackets. WEST VIRGINIA: All children under the age of 13 must wear life jackets. Personal watercraft and towed watercraft must also transport them. Fines start at $20, but include court fees in excess of $100. INDIANA: Children under the age of 13 must wear life jackets when operating a boat.
It is also required on PWC or when towing. Fines can be up to $500. ALABAMA: Children under the age of 8 must wear a PFD at all times in Alabama unless they are in an enclosed cabin. Keep in mind that federal law states that children under the age of 13 must wear life jackets. Recreational boaters on jet skis and other personal watercraft must also wear them, as well as those pulled on skis or in a tube. In addition, you will need to wear one if you are within 800 feet of a dam. Depending on the violation, fines range from $25 to $100. In general, the purpose of the new tags is to help users choose and care for the appropriate lifejacket for the activity they are participating in.
Labels have fewer words and more easily understandable symbols. NEW MEXICO: Children under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket unless they are in a cabin while the boat is en route. All boaters in kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, inflatables and personal watercraft must also carry one. Fines can range from $50 to $500. There may also be prison sentences. ALASKA: Anyone 13 years of age or younger must wear a life jacket in Alaska. This is when you are on the open deck, traveling or being towed. Violations are punishable by a variety of fines, starting at $100.
Additional fines will be imposed for each violation. MARIALES DU NORD: Water skiers and personal watercraft operators must wear life jackets. Choosing and wearing an appropriate lifejacket is the best thing a boater can do to ensure a safe and enjoyable day on the water. A hang tag with important information will accompany each new life jacket. If you`re shopping at a store, be sure to flip through this hang tag or ask a store employee if you have any questions. If you`re shopping online, read the full product description and reviews to make sure you`re buying the right lifejacket for you. By now, we should all know how important it is to wear a personal floating device when boating. But no matter how long they have been available, there are still many boaters who do not use these rescue tools. Almost half of boaters in the UK do not wear a life jacket. In the United States, 80% of those drowned were not wearing a life jacket.
Wearing it is not only a good idea, but necessary in many situations. That said, the rules can change from state to state, which can make things confusing. OREGON: All children under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket unless they are in an enclosed cabin or below deck. Similarly, people who use personal watercraft must wear a life jacket. Fines are over $200. TEXAS: In a boat under 26 feet, all children under the age of 13 must wear an approved PFD. In addition, anyone operating a personal watercraft must wear a life jacket. Fines can range from $25 to $500. ARKANSAS: Anyone under the age of 12 must wear a life jacket. The only time this is not the case is when they are locked in an enclosed cabin or by railings on a boat that is not en route.
Water skiers and cyclists must also wear them. The Coast Guard recommends and many states require the wearing of life jackets: PUERTO RICO: Children under the age of 13 must wear a lifejacket when a ship is en route. Personal watercraft operators must also wear them. This rule does not modify or replace existing law in states that have lifejacket laws, it only applies to states that do not have laws. Please see the following list for the latest laws in your state. Life jackets come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Many are thin and flexible. Some are integrated directly into fishing vests or hunter`s coats.
Others are inflatable as compact as a scarf or belt bag until they touch the water when they automatically fill with air. How to Choose the Right Lifejacket Brochure – PDF Almost every state requires you to use a Coast Guard approved PFD. Not all, but almost all. However, federal law requires that they be re-approved by the Coast Guard. Flotation equipment that is not approved by the Coast Guard is not always reliable. Especially inflatables, which are often not much better than toys. Inflatable life jackets are not always reliable. Choose only a reliable inflatable life jacket. If you want to take water safety seriously, make sure you carry a USCG-approved PFD. Most boating-related drownings occur because people simply weren`t wearing life jackets. Follow lifejacket laws and wear a lifejacket when your boat is on its way.
UTAH: Children under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket in Utah. If you are using a personal watercraft or being towed, you will need a life jacket. Finally, you will also need a life jacket on any river that is not designated as a shallow water area. You can expect a maximum fine of $1,000 and a possible jail time for violations. The curved arrow indicates the rotational capacity of the lifejacket. The rotating ability is whether a life jacket is capable or designed to turn an unconscious person upwards without assistance. A level 70 life jacket does not turn a person to the right, this is indicated by the curved arrow with a slash. If there is no slash, it will turn most carriers face up. The higher the number of levels, the greater the rotation capacity. New lifejackets contain information in four main categories, usually in separate boxes. At the top of the label, usually towards the neck, is information about the size.
Height usually indicates a user`s weight range and a chest size range. The right fit is one of the most important considerations when choosing a life jacket. Other considerations can be found elsewhere on the lifejacket label. The location and location of the information may vary, but it must appear on the lifejacket.