The simple fact that we have survived, despite our alleged negligence by not wearing life jackets or PFD's is not really a reason for not bothering to consider this important. Certainly people with more skill, operating vessels/on the water are massively less likely to become one of those statistics. The fact that some people train and can swim for extended periods in cold water, has little to do with those thousands who cannot.
Nearly every critical investigation into marine accidents involving people in the water has made a strong comment about life jackets. Two in recent years in Canada, investigated by the TSB, Leviathan II and Catatonic both highlight persons not wearing lifejackets as contributing to fatalities and added trauma.
I nearly always now wear an inflatable lifejacket when messing around in boats, partly to set an example to those (most people) who have less experience and skills on the water. I don't think anyone is recommending everyone be suitably LJ attired on a cruising yacht at anchor or a boat where it is large enough to be fully enclosed and operated entirely from within.
Seat Belts in motor vehicles are mandatory in most places these days. I see life jackets in a pretty similar light. Now that there are a number of relatively comfortable casual lifejackets and PFD's available ( our ancestors had nothing until those awful cork things were developed, then those kapok filled double pillows....absolutely unwearable as far as working wear), I do not think there is a good argument for not wearing them now
I have 2 inflatable PFD's and 4 additional PFD's in several sizes on my boat. We sail outside....on deck. I now wear a LJ virtually all the time, and encourage/require all others on board to wear them except in the lightest-wind/ calm seas/warmest conditions.
Please don't rag me too much if you see me about on the water without a PFD. It still happens, though not often.
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