4th of July Boating Safety Message from Mercury Marine

The Fourth of July is almost upon us, and for many that means taking to the water. Mercury Marine is committed to educating the public regarding boating safety awareness. As respected anglers and guides on the Mercury team, we're asking you to help spread the message by posting the below safety tips on your Facebook and Twitter pages and communicating them to your clients and fans while on the water. With your help, we hope to make this Fourth of July holiday a safe one on the water.

BOATING SAFETY TIPS

• Before and during operation, make sure everyone on your boat is in the proper passenger position. Sit down and hold on. You don’t want your passengers to be in a position that could result in them falling overboard. Also, don't sit or stand at the front of a moving pontoon boat.
• Always wear your lifejacket. It can save your life. The majority of boating fatalities involve people who drown without a lifejacket on.
• Watch out for the propeller. Shut off the engine whenever anyone is in the water near your boat. Placing the engine in neutral is not enough.
• Use your lanyard cut-off switch. Things can happen quickly on the water. Make sure your engine will shut off if you are not in the operator’s position.