King County’s life jacket ordinance is working

A new law requiring life jackets on King County rivers has been “sinking in,” according to King County Sheriff Sue Rahr.

A swimmer, wader, boater, or floater caught in water more than four feet deep or five feet from shore without a life jacket faces a $86 fine.

But since the ordinance went into effect on July 1, sheriff’s deputies have issued over 100 written warnings, but no $86 infractions.

“Under the ordinance, you have to get one written warning before you can be fined. We’re writing quite a few written warnings, over a 100, but we’re not having to go back and fine anybody who came back a second time not wearing a life jacket. So our education campaign is going wuite well, we think,” said Sgt. John Urquhart.

The Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit estimates about two-thirds of people on area rivers are wearing life jackets. Deputies who regularly patrol rivers say that life-jacket usage is up “significantly” from prior years.

Most of the people issued warnings, have been in their 20’s and live in the Seattle area, not rural, or unincorporated King County.

Deputies said they have issued warnings to floaters using inner tubes, small boats, inflatable rafts, a “large pool toy”, and a “white and blue inflatable chair”.

According to Public Heath Seattle and King County, there are typically about 23 drownings annually. Sixty percent of those are on open water, which includes rivers.

“The majority of rivers in King County are still running fairly fast and cold,” Rahr said. A 200 percent increase in snowpack this year has meant a greater danger on rivers with higher than normal river flows.