Boat Sober
Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents. According to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Recreational Boating Statistics, alcohol use was the leading factor in 16 percent of deaths in 2022. That’s primarily because boaters think time aboard equals becoming inebriated (or otherwise impaired). They say it’s their vessel, so they’ll do whatever they enjoy. It’s clear they don’t worry about anyone’s safety — theirs or yours.
Such selfishness may land them in a courtroom, jail, a hospital, or even the morgue. It is illegal in every state and territory to operate vessels, from kayaks to the largest yachts, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Strong sun and winds, combined with the vibrations and rolling of a vessel, create “boater’s fatigue,” a condition that mimics the effects of being under the influence of persons who are sober. That’s before alcohol and/or certain legal and illegal drugs blur vision and reduce balance, judgment, and reaction time. A boat pilot under the influence is incapable of making proper decisions and assessing risks, putting everyone in the area in peril. Alcohol use also poses a danger to passengers; if you’re also under the influence, it’s hard to comply with a skipper’s commands and avoid slips and falls.
As boating while impaired is a choice, not an accident, law enforcement authorities take ridding the waters of risky skippers seriously. Consequences include ending the outing, impounding the vessel, and arrest of the boat operator.
Operation Dry Water is a year-round campaign coordinated with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the USCG. On Thursday, July 4 through Saturday, July 6, law enforcers will heighten public awareness of the perils of boating while impaired. However, “awareness” isn’t about warnings. All participating law enforcement agencies will stop and arrest boaters suspected of boating under the influence (BUI). Checkpoints will be set up without warning and vessels stopped if law enforcement observes possible violations or unsafe piloting. Thus, a boat going too fast through a no-wake zone might end up with its operator arrested for alleged BUI.
Operators arrested and convicted of BUI face the same or similar consequences as driving while intoxicated on land — jail time, loss of operating privileges, and seizure of the vessel. Every arrest triggers the expense of legal defense and potential loss of wages. In addition, if harm comes to passengers or people on other vessels, lawsuit expenses and damage awards are incalculable.
