SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 445
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize the North American Safe Boating Campaign on the
occasion of National Safe Boating Week, May 16 through 22, 2009;
and
WHEREAS, Recreational boating is fun and enjoyable, and
the citizens of Texas are fortunate that this state has
sufficient resources to accommodate a wide variety of pleasure
boating demands; and
WHEREAS, Boating is a marvelous source of recreation, but,
for the unprepared, it can be a risky sport; not knowing or
obeying the Navigation Rules or the nautical "Rules of the Road,"
drinking alcohol or taking drugs while operating a boat, or
choosing not to wear a life jacket when it is clearly the safe
thing to do are all examples of human error or a lack of proper
judgment that can lead to accidents and the loss of life; and
WHEREAS, Knowledge and skills are important in reducing
human error and improving judgment; with knowledge of the risks,
people will take steps to protect themselves; the goal of the
safe boating campaign is to increase public awareness of the
risks inherent in unsafe boating practices not only during safe
boating week but throughout the year; and
WHEREAS, On average, 700 people die each year in
boating-related accidents in the United States; nearly 70
percent of these fatalities are caused by drowning; the vast
majority of these accidents are caused by human error or poor
judgment and not by the boat, equipment, or environmental
factors; and
WHEREAS, One particular behavior that can reduce by
approximately 80 percent the number of boaters who lose their
lives by drowning each year is the wearing of a life jacket; it is
a simple habit that has the potential to reduce terrible loss in
lives; and
WHEREAS, Modern life jackets are more comfortable, more
attractive, and more wearable than styles of years past and
deserve a fresh look by today's boating public; a significant
number of the boaters who have lost their lives by drowning each
year would be alive today had they worn their life jackets; and
WHEREAS, A life jacket is without doubt a vital part of the
safe practice of recreational boating; the slogan of the safe
boating campaign urges the public to "Boat Smart. Boat Safe. Wear
It."; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby commend the goals of the North American Safe
Boating Campaign and recognize May 16 through 22, 2009, as Safe
Boating Week in Texas and the start of the year-round effort to
promote safe boating; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
commemoration of Safe Boating Week in Texas.
Van de Putte
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 19, 2009.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate