My husband, Justin Viator, was killed in a boating accident on May 12, 2016 in Whisky Bay. His unfortunate drowning was due to not wearing a life jacket. He leaves behind myself and our 3 young children. We are devastated by his death. I am petitioning to change the current life jacket requirement laws here in the state of Louisiana. In Louisiana it is not mandatory for persons over the age of 17 to wear a life jacket on the water while boating. The law states that it is mandatory to have them on the boat (one for each person) and for them to be coast guard certified only. On the other hand, life jackets are a requirement for Wildlife & Fisheries personnel and Pro Fishing Tournament persons to wear them while on the water at all times. This needs to be MANDATORY across the board. My mission is to prevent my tragedy from happening to someone else. It's time for a change! Please join me in signing this petition to make life jackets MANDATORY for all persons boating on the water.
