State watercraft officials say boating deaths in Ohio have fallen to an all-time low, dropping from 19 deaths in 2003 to just seven in 2004.

Ken Alvey, chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft, says improved boating conditions, boater education and enforcement and improved public awareness contributed to the 63 percent drop.

Boating fatalities continue to decrease while the number of registered boats increases. More than 418,000 boats were registered in Ohio in 2003, compared with about 384,000 ten years earlier.

Officials say none of the seven who died while boating this year was wearing a life jacket and alcohol was a factor in three of the deaths.


http://www.wcpo.com/news/2005/local/01/04/boating.html