The laws governing boating in New York and elsewhere are coming under closer scrutiny after the capsizing of a tour boat killed 20. Warren County Sheriff Larry Cleveland said it appeared the boat flipped over so fast on Sept. 30 that no one had time to put on life jackets. In New York, boats have to carry one jacket for every passenger, but there’s no law saying they have to put it on. The National Association of State Boating Laws Administrators says requiring adults to wear life jackets–as is required for children in 48 states–is a debate that has raged for years.
The Lake George Park Association and the local sheriff’s department, which regulate most safety rules on the lake, said they will reconsider rules mandating life jacket use and minimum crew size, said James Hood, a spokesman. Gov. George Pataki said the state’s boating laws would get a close look, but he also said, “We have among the toughest boating laws in America.”
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