Drinking and boating often go hand-in-hand. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), for example, notes that 31% of people who drown in the United States are impaired at the time. If you measure their blood alcohol concentration (BAC), it’s going to be at least 0.10%, which is over the legal limit for driving a vehicle.
Impairment also contributes to boating deaths. The U.S. Coast Guard has studied these statistics, and they claim that alcohol is a contributing factor in roughly 18% of these fatal incidents.
Finally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has looked into fatal accidents on JetSkis or other watercraft. Their study found that 27% of these fatalities involved impaired individuals who had a BAC at or above 0.10%.
In other words, no matter what study you use, it’s clear that alcohol impairment and boating accidents show a strong correlation.
How can you stay safe?
The most important thing you can do to stay safe, of course, is to avoid drinking when you’re on the water. You certainly should never operate a JetSki, a speedboat or even a fishing craft if you have been drinking. While some passengers may legally consume alcohol, you still do want to think about the increased risk, especially when it comes to falling overboard.
That said, the unfortunate reality is that you are at the mercy of those around you. Even if you don’t drink on the water at all, you know that it’s common. Other boaters around you are going to be impaired to some degree. If one of them causes an accident and you or a family member suffers injuries – or even passes away – then you need to know what legal steps you can take.