How to Avoiding Serious Injury During Water-Based Activities
During the summer months, many people in the Miami area enjoy recreational water activities like boating, jet skis, water skiing, and wake boarding. While these kinds of activities are undoubtedly enjoyable and often exciting, they also expose participants to a serious risk of injury. Below are some ways to minimize your risk of injury while engaging in water-based recreation. In the event that you are hurt while playing in the water this summer, it is important that you discuss your legal options with a Miami maritime accident lawyer as soon as you can.
- Ensure that you have all proper safety equipment for your activity. Lifejackets or personal flotation devices should be worn on boats, and inflatable toys are not a substitute for a these lifesaving devices. Children should be outfitted with life vests, helmets, or other safety equipment that is properly fitted to their size.
- Make sure that you know how to properly use all recreational devices before going out into the open water. The middle of the Atlantic Ocean is not the place to teach yourself how to use a jet ski.
- Never drink and drive! Alcohol impairs the ability to drive on the water just as it does on the land. Do not operate motor boats, jet skis, or other heavy equipment if you have been drinking. It is also important not to lose your coordination when boating on open water, as this may prevent you from being able to stay afloat and swim to safety in the event you accidentally fall overboard.
- Maintain constant supervision of children. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water, and it only takes seconds to happen. Make sure you where children are and what they are doing at all times.
- Stay aware of your surroundings. Collisions with other boats, sharks in the water, drowning, injuries from equipment, and other accidents can all be prevented by identifying and addressing the danger before it occurs. Awareness will even help you avoid medical conditions such as sunburn, heat rash, and heat stroke.
- Stay current on CPR and first aid techniques. Early intervention offers the best odds of survival and recovery from an accident.
- Make sure all recreational and safety equipment is in good working order before you must rely on it in the open water. This is especially important at the start of the season, when equipment has been in storage and out of use for long periods of time.
- Choose your clothing and footwear wisely. Flip flops are a popular choice on boats, but they can make slippery surfaces even easier to fall on. To prevent sunburn and heat-related injuries, wear long sleeves and hats with wide brims. Apply sunscreen liberally. Children often need reminders to continue applying sunscreen, and they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of sunburn.
- Never swim alone or in bad weather – especially on the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Weather and currents change rapidly and dangerously.
Call Gerson & Schwartz, P.A. Today to Schedule Your Free Consultation with a Miami Personal Injury Lawyer
The maritime lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, P.A. have over forty six years of experience protecting the rights of accident victims in the greater Miami area. Call our office today at 1- 877-475-2905 to schedule your free consultation with a Miami personal injury attorney. You can also email us through our online contact form, and one of our friendly, professional staff members will contact you as soon as possible.