A life jacket can save lives! Wearing a lifejacket whatever you’re doing in a body of water is essential. A life jacket lessens the chances of drowning and will help keep your body afloat.
Some states have federal laws that require all children from the age of 13 years old and below must wear a lifejacket on a moving boat but have an only exemption if the boat is not traveling.
Also, any life vest you wear should have approval by your local coast guards during inspections, proving them capable of saving lives and avoiding unexpected emergencies.
Top Reasons to Wear a lifejacket.
You are wearing a lifejacket as your Personal Floating Device (PFD) to save your life, whether swimming, in a boat, and any water sports activity.
- According to the coastguards drowning incidents list, wearing PDF can prevent drowning up to 90%,
- Lessen the water impact when falling; when you do cliff jump, wearing a certified PDF lessens the water impact on your body and can prevent you from getting muscle pain and injuries.
- Wearing PDFs can have a Domino Effect; just wearing a life jacket is not enough, but ensuring everyone is wearing and securing their PDF at all times.
- Help floating; Life vests help you afloat when suffering from hypothermia and muscle cramps, which can be a painful experience.
- Not a swimmer can help float their bodies to stay afloat in the water and enjoy with their friends.
- Not secure life jackets, make sure your PDF is secured correctly. Even wearing an approved PDF cannot prevent drowning if not properly worn and secured in place.
The Coast Guard requires you to wear lifejackets when you are doing water skiing, personnel who are operating watercraft, during boating, and sailboarding.
Know your Lifejackets
Regardless of age, you should wear Lifejackets and PDFs for buoyancy aid if you cannot stay longer in the water and keep you floating if you experience injury, cold, muscle cramps, and fatigue.
Your lifejacket must be appropriate in your size. If you feel the life vest is really small, it will not make your body float. Besides, keep in mind that a children’s life jacket doesn’t have the same measures as the adult size.
Ensure your life jacket is in a good service condition to keep away from danger, and you should try it in the water to ensure fitness in your body.
And check the label for the chest and weight size as it floats differently from different body types.
In Conclusion
Knowing how to swim is not enough not to wear lifejackets. Even if you have excellent swimming experience, it doesn’t guarantee you are safe from drowning or prolonged exposure to lower temperatures and muscle cramps.
If you think you’re old enough not to wear a lifejacket, think again.
There is no age limit when not wearing life jackets, as the authorities require safety gear when engaging in water activities for safety purposes. Nevertheless, children 12 and under should wear life vests as mandated by state laws. People aged 13 and above can opt-out of gearing up with lifejackets.
The coast guard and the State policies require it to be worn at all times if playing water sports, swimming, and sailing, or any water activity.
