Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens will increase patrols over the Labor Day weekend as boating traffic rises across the state, the department said.
In 2025, Texas recorded 178 boating incidents resulting in 50 fatalities and 77 serious injuries. Eighty-four percent of those who died were not wearing a life jacket, according to the department.
Last Labor Day weekend, game wardens responded to seven boating incidents and two boating-related fatalities, and made seven boating while intoxicated arrests. During the 2026 Fourth of July weekend, wardens filed 62 boating while intoxicated charges, the highest number for that holiday since 2019, the department said.
"A life jacket only works if you wear it, and a few smart decisions before you leave the dock can help everyone get home safely," said Col. Ron VanderRoest, director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Law Enforcement Division.
The department recommends that boaters wear properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets; avoid operating boats while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; use engine cut-off switches; maintain proper lookout and reduce speed in crowded areas; check weather conditions; verify their vessel's capacity; and file a float plan with someone. Children under 13 must wear life jackets while a vessel is underway, according to the department. Personal watercraft operators and passengers must wear life jackets, and operators must use engine cut-off switches and may not operate between sunset and sunrise.