| Public
comment sought on new lifejacket laws
November 7, 2009
Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi today called
for public comment on proposals that would see the most
sweeping reforms to lifejacket rules in more than 30 years.
Launching a discussion paper canvassing new categories
for compulsory wearing of lifejackets, Mr Tripodi said
the reforms are aimed at recreational boaters in situations
of heightened risk, especially children and boaters in
tinnies.
“We are not looking at making the wearing of lifejackets
compulsory at all times because not all boating activity
has a similar risk,” Mr Tripodi said.
“For example, taking a tinnie offshore has a significantly
higher risk than sitting inside a motor cruiser in a quiet
bay.
“We’re not about taking the fun out of boating.
However we want boating to be enjoyable but safe and we
know if there is an accident a lifejacket can dramatically
increase your chance of survival.”
Of the 174 boating fatalities in NSW in the last 10 years,
just over half resulted from a person falling overboard
or a vessel capsizing. Drowning has been the primary cause
of death and only 7% of victims were known to have been
wearing a lifejacket.
Currently in NSW it is compulsory to wear a lifejacket
when:
• crossing a coastal bar;
• riding on a personal watercraft (eg. jet ski);
• engaged in tow-in surfing; or
• on a canoe, kayak, windsurfer or kitesurfer when
400m or more from shore.
Proposed Changes
It is proposed the minimum requirement would be for a
lifejacket to be worn:
• by children less than 10 years old in a vessel
less than 4.8 metres in length;
• by children less than 10 years old when underway
in the open area of a boat less than 8 metres;
• when waterskiing or wakeboarding;
• when in a vessel less than 4.8 metres in heightened
risk situations such as at night, when alone, and on ocean
waters;
• when operating an off-the-beach sail craft in
ocean waters;
• on small recreational craft such as kayaks and
sailboards, at all times in ocean waters and when more
than 100 metres from shore in sheltered waters;
• when in a vessel less than 4.8m on alpine lakes;
and
• at times of ‘Skipper Judgement and Direction’
- this approach would give a skipper the right to require
passengers to wear a lifejacket if, for example, a change
in the weather heightened the risk of a routine boating
trip.
More at www.maritime.nsw.gov.au
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