A national poll commissioned by Mad Mariner found that 40 percent of boaters admit to not wearing a life jacket out on the water.

But do your kids wear them?

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, life jackets could prevent 2/3 of all boat-related drownings involving kids 14 and under.

Many adults think they're capable of diving into the water to rescue a child who falls overboard. But this is a dangerous misconception, the Coast Guard says. 

You may not notice the child go over. And children who fall in may not surface immediately. It can be difficult to find a child in the water, particularly when you're on a moving boat.

If safety isn't enough to convince you, maybe the law will. In most states, it is illegal for children under 13 to be aboard a boat without a life jacket.