PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report shows Pinellas County ranked fourth in the state for the number of boat crashes in 2023.
As we head into a busy holiday weekend, law enforcement officials are stressing safety to prevent as many crashes as possible.
"We're going to have multiple agencies on the water," Officer Dan Carvin with the St. Pete Police Marine Unit said.
He said boaters need to drive sober, or they will get pulled over, and everyone on board needs to keep a life jacket on the boat. Children under age six must wear a life jacket at all times.
Officer Carvin explained that hundreds of pounds of debris remains from Debby, so boaters need to be vigilant.
“Big pieces of docks, channel markers that were supposed to be in place… A lot of that is floating, and some is just barely above the surface, so if you're not paying attention, you could run into that,” Carvin said.
He said Labor Day weekend is not the time for inexperienced drivers to drive the boat.
“It's not like taking the boat out on a Wednesday when you're the only one out. You really do have to operate defensively,” Carvin said.
If you are anchoring to swim, pull away from the crowds and do it in a quiet and safe area.
“You don't want to be tubing or wakeboarding in the channel. Go somewhere off the beaten path, maybe shallower,” Carvin said.
The marine unit expects an uptick in boater traffic, so they are reminding drivers to be vigilant.
“Don't only just look at where you're going, but be aware of your surroundings. Check behind and to your sides,” Carvin said.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
