Our safety campaigns

Our safety campaigns aim to reduce the number of fatalities on our waters.

The Boating Safety Code

The Boating Safety Code contains our key safety messages (see right). Research shows that these are the five most important things you can do to reduce your odds of having a fatal accident on the water. They’ve been agreed on by water safety organisations nationwide – and they’re reflected in all of our safety campaigns.

2018-19 safety campaign

Our 2018-19 campaign reinforces the messages in the Boating Safety Code to help keep safety top of mind throughout the season.

The theme:“Nobody’s faster than disaster”

Continuing on from last year, the theme for the 2018-19 summer boating campaign is“Nobody’s faster than disaster”. The campaign encourages boaties to take simple steps to help keep themselves, their friends and loved ones safer.

Our focus

This season’s messaging focuses on increasing the use of maritime VHF radio and maintaining good lifejacket behaviour.

• A VHF radio is your rescue network at sea – always take a waterproof VHF radio with you.
• Check your lifejacket – wearing lifejackets isn’t enough. You need to check them regularly to ensure they’re safe.

Media

National TV advertising from now until February is promoting the importance of carrying a waterproof VHF radio.

Online advertising, social media, media releases and boating activities around the country is promoting both the use of VHF radios and the need to check lifejackets.

“Nobody’s Faster Than Disaster” (20 Oct“18 – 31 March“19)

The next part of our safety campaign runs from the end of Safer Boating Week until the end of the boating season.

The theme: “Nobody’s faster than disaster”

Continuing on from last year, the theme for the 2018-19 summer boating campaign is “Nobody’s faster than disaster”. The campaign encourages boaties to take simple steps to help keep themselves, their friends and loved ones safer.

The focus

This year’s messaging focuses on maintaining good lifejacket behaviour and increasing the use of maritime VHF radio.

• Take a waterproof VHF radio – VHF radios are designed to get you help when things are going wrong.
• Check + wear your lifejacket – wearing lifejackets isn’t enough. You need to check them regularly to ensure they’re safe.

Media

National TV advertising at the peak of the season (December to February) will promote the importance of carrying a waterproof VHF radio.

Online advertising, social media, media releases and boating activities around the country will promote both the use of VHF radios and the need to check lifejackets.

“No Excuses” campaign

Our summer boating campaign also includes a “No excuses” enforcement campaign for boaties not carrying a lifejacket and those who speed on the water. Boaties who break council’s lifejacket and speed rules will be given infringement notices of up to $300, depending on each council’s existing bylaws.

Successfully trialed last summer, “No excuses” will run for five days by each participating council (most regional councils are involved) between 1 October 2018 and 31 March 2019. Maritime NZ has funded the councils to provide additional staff, time and resources to the campaign, on top of the safer boating work councils already do. During the campaign, harbourmaster’s staff and Maritime NZ’s maritime officers will be working together on the water.