(TWRA/Peg Broadcasting News)
The 2021 National Safe Boating Week is May 22-28 and is held annually the week prior to the Memorial Day weekend. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will be participating to promote the wear of life jackets as the summer boating season starts.
In 2020, boating was one of the outdoors activities which saw a substantial increase. The TWRA reported a noticeable increase in traffic on the state’s lakes and rivers. After a record-low year of eight boating-fatalities in 2019, the most boating-related fatalities in 37 years with 32 occurred on Tennessee waters in 2020.
In addition, Friday, May 21 is Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day. Boaters can share a photo wearing a life jacket at work (or home) on social media along with the hashtag #lifejacket2work and tagging @boatingcampaign (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram). Photos can also be emailed to outreach@safeboatingcouncil.org. Winners will be chosen randomly throughout the day to receive boating prizes from the Safe Boating Campaign, such as T-shirts, dry bags, first aid kits, stickers, and more.