Every Fourth of July, millions travel to the Lake of the Ozarks to celebrate the nation's independence.
Boating, swimming and water skiing can create lifelong memories on the lake. But those activities can quickly turn tragic if boaters are not following safety guidelines.
"If everybody did what they were supposed to be doing, we wouldn't have an increase of incidents," Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Kyle Green said.
Green said lifejackets are the seatbelts of boating.
"You have to remember: Many of the times people enter the water, it's not by their choosing."
Green said that, regardless of a person's swimming ability, it's important to wear a lifejacket.
"Many times when they are thrown in the water, they are injured, unconscious, or, let's say, they have a medical condition and normally they might be a good swimmer," Green said. "But under those circumstances, they are not able to do that and keep their head above water, and unfortunately, drown."
"Even Michael Phelps would be out there wearing a lifejacket," Green continued.
The Ozarks can also be difficult to navigate, with the lake stretching over 90 miles with hundreds of inlets and coves.
"Our lake is not the traditional big round lake, so people can easily get confused on where they are going," Green said.
Green recommends carrying maps or GPS navigation on the boat at all times.
He said lost boaters are a common problem on the lake during the Fourth of July weekend and the rest of the boating season.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources also said that swimming was not recommended due to elevated E. coli concentrations at Lake of the Ozarks Public Beach No. 1.
The status of the beaches is available on the department's website.
