• The use of alcohol is involved in about a
third of all recreational boating fatalities.
Every boater needs to understand the
risks of boating under the influence of
alcohol or drugs (BUI). It is illegal to operate
a boat while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs in every state. The Coast
Guard also enforces a federal law that prohibits
BUI. The law pertains to ALL boats
(from canoes and rowboats to the largest
ships)—and includes foreign vessels that
operate in U.S. waters, as well as U.S. vessels
on the high seas.
Alcohol affects judgment, vision, balance
and coordination. These impairments
increase the likelihood of accidents
afloat—for both passengers and boat operators.
U.S. Coast Guard data shows that in
boating deaths involving alcohol use, over
half of the victims capsized their boats and/
or fell overboard.
Alcohol is even more dangerous on the
water than on land. The marine environment—
motion, vibration, engine noise,
sun, wind and spray—accelerates a drinker’s
impairment. These stressors cause
fatigue that makes a boat operator’s coordination,
judgment and reaction time decline
and even faster when using alcohol.
Alcohol can also be more dangerous to
boaters because boat operators are often
less experienced and less confident on the
water than on the highway. Recreational
boaters don’t have the benefit of experiencing
daily boat operations. In fact,
boaters average only 110 hours on the
water per year.
Alcohol has many physical effects that
directly threaten safety and well-being
on the water. When a boater or passenger
drinks, the following occur:
• Cognitive abilities and judgment deteriorate,
making it harder to process information,
assess situations, and make good
decisions.
• Physical performance is impaired—evidenced
by balance problems, lack of coordination,
and increased reaction time.
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• Vision is affected, including decreased
peripheral vision, reduced depth perception,
decreased night vision, poor focus,
and difficulty in distinguishing colors
(particularly red and green).
• Inner ear disturbances can make it impossible
for a person who falls into the water
to distinguish up from down.
• Alcohol creates a physical sensation of
warmth —which may prevent a person in
cold water from getting out before hypothermia
sets in.
As a result of these factors, a boat operator
with a blood alcohol concentration
of 0.10 percent is estimated more than 10
times as likely to die in a boating accident
as an operator with zero blood alcohol concentration.
Passengers are also at greatly
increased risk for injury and death—especially
if they are also using alcohol.
Law enforcement actions to detect such
violations include training in and use of
breathalyzers, and show increased presence
on week-ends and long-holiday periods
which traditionally include greater boating
activity. DECISION—avoid alcohol
and drugs when operating boats. The BAC
level for BUI conviction in most states is
.08, and some as low as 0.02.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
ACCIDENT REPORTING
Law enforcement by USCG, State Marine
Police, City Police, Park Rangers and the
marine Sherriff patrols is in the best interests
of recreational boaters. The challenge
arises on popular holiday boating periods
when the few officers are overwhelmed.
USCG Auxiliary alleviate this shortfall to
some degree. The better solution is responsible
boating.
The Federal and state regulations provide
for boating accident reporting, and
sample reporting forms are included in
this manual. Be sure to review established
times for reporting loss of life, injury and
damage, along with the damage value that
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