Boats and Drinking

With the Fourth of July and Labor Day just around the corner, Mothers Against Drunk Driving would like to remind the members of this community about ways to keep summer safe.

While attitudes in this country about drinking and driving a car have changed dramatically over the last 10 years, we still see people mixing boating and alcohol. Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol is just as dangerous as driving a car under the influence--and perhaps worse, because there are no speed limits or traffic signals, and there’s little or no licensing required for pleasure boat operators.

An inexperienced and intoxicated boater not only endangers his own life, but also the lives of other careful, experienced boaters.

Last year, more than 1,000 people were killed in boating accidents. More than half of those involved alcohol. The U.S. Coast Guard estimates the number of nonfatal boating crashes to be 60,000 or higher.

Laws do exist to help prevent boating tragedies, and they are getting stronger. Operating a boat while intoxicated is a federal offense subject to a $1,000 fine. Criminal penalties are as high as $5,000.

However, laws for safe boating are only half the solution. Simple steps to change behavior can prevent fines, jail terms or, even more importantly, loss of life. Mothers Against Drunk Driving urges boaters to designate a driver if they are taking alcohol aboard.

NATALIE GREETZMAN, President, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, San Diego County