High lifejacket rule compliance

Ninety-five percent of boaties had enough lifejackets for everyone on board and 83 percent were wearing them when required, provisional results released in May from the ‘No Excuses’ safe boating campaign show.

Lead Maritime Officer for the project Matt Wood said the campaign targeted high risk behaviours including failing to carry and/or wear lifejackets, unsafe speed and breaches of navigational safety rules. He said Kiwi boaties ‘did themselves proud’ when it came to lifejackets and ‘No Excuses’ demonstrated the value of having a consistent nationwide campaign to encourage safe boating behaviour.

There were a total of 182 infringements issued and 502 warnings given. Common reasons infringement notices were issued included people not showing a dive flag – despite having divers in the water, not having observers when towing and not having lifejackets on board or failing to wear them when required.

The 2018/19 campaign saw 3,531 interactions with boaties and ran from 20 October 2018 until 31 March 2019, involving 13 Regional Councils and the Taupo? Harbourmaster.

The majority of ‘No Excuses’ interactions were positive, Wood said. Boaties were glad to see the ‘No Excuses’ teams educating and – where required – enforcing the rules.

Hawke’s Bay Harbourmaster Martin Moore said his team was impressed by local boaties’ behaviour and it showed safety messages were creating positive change. He said the team was met with a warm welcome and expressions of gratitude for their efforts to “make sure boaties made it home in one piece”.