Four Injured In Lake Michigan Boating Accident

Four people were injured in a Lake Michigan boating accident Thursday evening according to CBS News Chicago. The happened around 10:20 p.m. And it took emergency crews almost an hour to pull everyone from the water.

Authorities say that a boat capsized after hitting a break wall near South Mackinaw Avenue and East 85th Street. The current conditions of the boat accident victims were not reported although two were rushed to area hospitals with reportedly serious personal injuries.

Many summertime boating accidents are alcohol-related. ABC Chicago reports that hundreds of Illinois residents are arrested every year for operating watercraft while intoxicated. Police arrested 209 people last year for operating watercraft under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The persistent problem of intoxicated boating is mostly due to the erroneous perception that boating while intoxicated is less dangerous than driving while under the influence.

You would never see someone driving down the street with an open beer with a bunch of kids in their car, youd be appalled, said one mother who lost a son in a boat crash.

ABC Chicago also reported that lack of training is also a contributing factor in many boating accidents.

In the State of Illinois, if you can afford to buy a boat, pay the registration, you can come out on the water, an official told reporters.

Source : CBS Chicago, 4 Hurt When Boat Capsizes On Lake Michigan, June 28, 2013

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