Brianna’s Law was formed in 2019, after Brianna Lieneck, an 11-year-old girl from Long Island lost her life in a 2005 boating accident. To increase safety on the water, the law was implemented to require all New York State boat operators to pass an authorized safety course.
Now, the law’s five-year, age-based phase-in window is quickly coming up. Regardless of age, all New York State boaters must complete an authorized safety course by January of 2025. The nonprofit, BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, is offering the only free, NASBLA-approved online boating safety course. As of now, 2.5 million students around the country have taken the online course, which also approves boating safety education in 36 other states.
Upon completion of the course, test takers may print their boating safety certificate, which is valid for 90 days, at no charge and order a permanent card for $15, or apply for an Adventure License that marks their New York DMV-issued driver’s license with an anchor symbol indicating proof of course completion, which costs $13.50
New York State DMV“Our online course typically takes four to eight hours to complete and fits into busy lives,” said BoatUS Foundation director of Boating Safety, Ted Sensenbrenner. “You take it from the comfort of home and can start, pause and restart where you left off at any time. And it’s free, thanks to generous donations by BoatUS members.”
For more information, BoatUS.org/NewYork.
