Boating officials: Wear your life jacket

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – If North Carolina’s boating safety coordinator could drill one rule into the minds of people on the water, it would be: Wear your life jacket.

Maj. Chris Huebner of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission says no matter how a boating accident happens, the cause of death is usually drowning. Even with a drunken operator or in bad weather, a life jacket likely would save lives.

Huebner says the July 4th holiday weekend is one of the busiest of the year, with more people out on their boats, especially to watch fireworks.

An unofficial count kept by commission employees shows 17 people have died in boating accidents in North Carolina so far this year. In 2014, 27 people died and in 2013, 19 people died.

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