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Bedford woman in serious condition after Smith Mountain Lake boating accident
The pontoon boat is pulled from Smith Mountain Lake to meet the jet ski on shore - again. Their first encounter was on a collision course on these now-still waters.
It’s the first major crash of the season, and the the Conservation Police are trying to make it the last.
While the U.S. Coast Guard said they’re spending the day targeting personal watercraft, WSLS went out with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, whose officers need probable cause.
“You know why we stopped you?" asked Sgt. Bryan Young. "No," replied a man who was stopped.
With a $75 ticket, he now knows you can’t let your 7-year-old drive out on the lake.
"Just kind of be patient with us until you get your decal because it’s kind of like a big bullseye," Young said to a woman pulled over because she doesn’t have a decal.
They checked her registration and she went on her way. There’s nothing there, but authorities said such stops often lead them to bigger infractions like boating under the influence.
Officials said this Memorial Day weekend was one of the busiest they'd seen on Smith Mountain Lake in recent years.
You might think more boats means more danger. Well, not necessarily.
Officials said they're seeing more people designating drivers for their boats, just like they would on the highway. Also, many people are already taking a boater education course that will be mandatory come July.
"The classes are full. They have higher attendance than ever," says Young. "I think a lot of the people have the idea this is going to happen finally and they are starting to get ahead of the curve and take those courses."
So it seems that more people are toeing the line, helping them do the job of "making sure everyone leaves here just the way they came - safely," says Young.
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