Tubing is a popular water activity -- it's undeniably fun, but there are a few dangers involved if you're not careful enough. Here's what you need to know if ever you plan on trying it out.
First of all, tubing is an activity where a person rides on top of an inflated inner tube as a motorized vehicle drags the tube around. There are a few settings where people can do tubing and they can either do it on snow or water.
As fun as it can be, there are dangers behind it. Emily Fedorko of Greenwich, Connecticut was an unfortunate victim of this--the 16-year-old girl was killed by the propeller of the boat that towed her on water. Her friend, who was also tubing with her, suffered a leg injury and required multiple stitches.
Business Insider reported that water tubing has caused a lot of accidents for the past years. One of the reasons pointed out was that a boat driver and a tube rider have very minimal control over the tube once the boat speeds up and anything could happen from that point. Reports state that water tubing-related accidents have increased to 250% for the past decades.
But does it mean that tubing is a dangerous activity? Well, most water activities are dangerous but it all boils down to following safety procedures. According to Today, it's really important to wear a life vest to avoid drowning if ever you fall off the tube. There should also be two people on the boat, a driver and a lookout. One critical part that drivers must also take note of is to turn off the boat's propeller once they approach the tube riders.
Tubing is no different from other water sports like wakeboarding and water skiing. If people only have the right training and equipment, tubing can be an enjoyable activity for everyone. Make sure that before you engage in this activity, check out reviews and credentials of tour operators.
