Safety of life jackets

By Metro Creative

Statistics from the United States Coast Guard indicate that, in 2019, 86% of drowning victims in recreational boating accidents where cause of death was known were not wearing life jackets.

The National Park Service reports that drowning is the top cause of visitor deaths in national parks and that nearly all of those deaths are preventable. One of the simplest ways to prevent drowning is to follow the advice of the NPS and wear a life jacket at all times when near or in the water. This includes when wading, swimming, fishing, boating, and engaging in watersports or other Water-related activities.

The NPS notes that there are three types of life jackets, but only two come in child and infant sizes. Inherently buoyant (primarily foam) life jackets and hybrid (foam and inflation) life jackets are available in child and infant sizes. The NPS recommends both types of life jackets for swimmers and non-swimmers.

People who intend to engage in water sports should know that some hybrid life jackets are designed specifically for such activities. The third type of life jacket is inflatable life jackets, which are only available in adult sizes and should never be worn by poor or non-swimmers.

— Metro Creative