Should Iowa adopt a warning system to educate as opposed to punishing law violators

Galway, Ireland - The Irish Times offers Five Cautions in Galway Over Water-safety Gear, but Lorna Siggins.  Lorna points out safety warnings being issued about not wearing proper life jackets which interestingly is required for children under 16-years-of-age to wear a life vest.

“Under current legislation, children under 16 must wear PFDs/lifejackets when on deck on a vessel under way, regardless of its size. For adults, the devices must be worn at all times on deck on vessels under way that are under seven metres in length, and for larger vessels (including the entire Volvo fleet), the devices must be available to all on board.

The legislation is enforced by the Garda Síochána, rather than by the Irish Coast Guard or Naval Service. The Garda Water Unit was on duty at the Volvo Ocean Race stopover for the fortnight due to the large number of private craft on the water, while the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) provided additional support craft for the Galway inshore lifeboat Dóchas.”

I do enjoy looking across the big puddle and seeing what the European countries do to tackle similar problems. From climbing around the world I’ve come to realize how similar other cultures to our own here in America.  See here that in Ireland they too have laws requiring children of a certain age to wear life-saving vests. One noted difference is in Ireland they issue warnings or citations. The warning stresses education of the public more so than punishment.