S.C. boating safety bill faces key test this week

COLUMBIA, S.C.. (WRDW/WAGT) – The South Carolina Home Judiciary Committee is anticipated to vote Tuesday on a invoice regarding boating security reform.

The laws goals to teach the general public on the best way to safely function a ship.

Representatives with Boating Security South Carolina, a boating security training program, say the regulation would require anybody born after July 1, 2007, to take a boating security course in an effort to function a ship or jet ski by themselves.

Nationwide, solely 4 states don’t require boater training, in response to the group.

The group says the invoice is critical as a result of tourism is a key pressure in South Carolina’s economic system, and boating and fishing signify a mixed $5.1 billion a yr financial affect to the state.

South Carolina has greater than half one million registered boats and ranks seventh nationally in boat possession, with one in 10 South Carolinians proudly owning a ship, in response to the group.

A current U.S. Coast Guard report states that nationally, 75% of sailing deaths occurred on watercraft the place the operator had no boating security coaching and 16% of deaths occurred on watercraft the place the operator had obtained boating security coaching, in response to the group.

From 2019 to 2020, boating accidents nationwide elevated 26.3%, accidents elevated 24.7% and deaths elevated 25%.

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