LAS VEGAS -- With Memorial Day weekend just around the corner, the state Department of Wildlife is kicking off its annual Safe Boating Week campaign.

Events and information released throughout the week have been created to inform boaters about the importance of following safe water rules.

The two biggest violations that agents see at this time of year are people not wearing life vests and people drinking while operating a boat, officials said. They hope that the campaign will make residents realize the necessity of safety on the water.

According to state law, children under the age of 13, people being towed behind a boat and anyone operating a watercraft are required to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket in Nevada.

NDOW will hold boating safety checks during the summer, checking boaters for life jackets, fire extinguishers and other required boating items at boat ramps at Lake Mead, Mohave and others around the state.

For more information or to read all the rules of the water, visit the NDOW Web site.

So far this year, two people have drown while operating boats without life jackets. Agents said that in both deaths, neither victim was wearing a life vest.