Many mark Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start to the summer boating season and it's partly because it's one of the year's busiest boating weekends.
Last year, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said there were no boating-related fatalities over the holiday weekend for the third consecutive year.
The 2018 Memorial Day holiday weekend is May 25 to May 28. TWRA wants to emphasize the use of life jackets along with boating in a safe and responsible manner.
Over the weekend in 2017, TWRA said there were 17 boating under the influence (BUI) arrests. TWRA wildlife officers reported one injury accident and five property damage incidents.
Thus far in 2018, there have been five boating-related fatalities, four injury-accident incidents, and five property damage accidents in Tennessee. TWRA says three of the five fatalities have involved paddlecrafts.
According to TWRA, in a boat on the water, the effects of alcohol increase because of external stressors such as engine vibration, wave motion and glare from the sun.
Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in Tennessee.
Officials also want to remind people to perform a simple maintenance check before getting on the water. Check hoses to make sure they are in good shape, make sure the lights work and carry extra fuses and bulbs.
In addition, TWRA urges all boaters to remember the basics: have a wearable life jacket for every person onboard, if your boat is 16 feet or longer, there must be a Type IV throwable device onboard, have onboard a fire extinguisher if you have enclosed fuel compartments or cabins, anyone under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket at all times while the boat is underway – drifting is considered underway, any boat operator born after Jan. 1, 1989 must have onboard the TWRA-issued wallet
TWRA also offers boating safety courses on its website: tnwildlife.org.