New Maritime New Zealand research shows boaties are slowly improving when it comes to water safety.
The number of boaties wearing lifejackets all or some of the time sits at 75 percent. But men over 40 years old still make up the most fatalities, with 14 dying from boating accidents last year.
Deputy manager Sharyn Forsyth says they encourage men going out boating to remember their families.
"Only 49 percent of adult passengers wore a lifejacket the entire time they were out on the water. Sixty-nine percent of children did. What we want to see is more of the adults being good role models."
The research shows boaties are checking the weather and having at least two ways to call for help more often than last year. But Ms Forsyth says there is room for improvement.
"The increases are really quite good. We just need to make sure that continues to increase."
Ms Forsyth says alcohol is still a concern, as is failing to wear a lifejacket.
"Ultimately one-in-five boaties are reporting that they wear a lifejacket either never, not very often or only some of the time."
And it appears it's the same offenders - that statistic hasn't changed in the last two years.
Newshub.
