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Lake Travis Newslake travis - Google NewsLancaster guard knows that all road in 4A go through Houston Yates - Dallas Morning News
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Read More... Game wardens seek a safer season for Texas boaters
Of all the boating accidents Chip Daigle has come across in his five years as a Texas game warden, there are some he'll never forget. Like the time an intoxicated boater careened out of control onto land, crushing himself. Or the time a passenger was killed by propellers after slipping off the bow. With boating season kicking into high gear, Daigle and other authorities are trying to keep such tragedies to a minimum. But that may be challenging, given recent history. Sixty-one people died in Texas boating accidents last year, more than in any year since 2002, state figures show. The state reported 271 accidents in 2008, the most in more than a decade. Seventeen people statewide have died so far this year. Earlier this spring, four people in Texas were killed in separate incidents. The victims included Michael Simmons, 18, whose paddleboat capsized on Lavon Lake. "They're all upsetting and sad to see when they happen – especially when somebody gets hurt, and especially since a lot of them are preventable." Daigle said. "You pull up on one, and it's pretty traumatic for everybody involved." Daigle and colleagues from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Army Corps of Engineers had a news conference Saturday at Lewisville Lake's Westlake Park to help underscore safety. Authorities chose the spot, known locally as "Party Cove," because boaters often congregate there on clear summer weekends. Drab clouds and rain dampened much of the day, whipping up whitecaps and leaving the lake vacant of any boats or activity. But with days of sunlit weather to come this week and an entire summer beckoning, authorities hope boaters take care. One problem is that most people regard boating – unlike, say, driving a car – as a purely recreational activity. Oftentimes, it is accompanied by alcohol. Drinking is frequently a factor in boating accidents, just as it is in car crashes. The penalties for boating while intoxicated are as serious as driving drunk. Authorities have issued about 2,500 boating-while-intoxicated citations over the last 10 years. "People come to the lake to relax and drink a few beers and hang out with each other. It's different from when you get in your car," said Lt. Jennifer Kemp of the Parks and Wildlife Department.
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