Nothing says summer relaxation like throwing back a few drinks with your friends and hitting the beach. Some people keep the party going even after they decide to go out on their boat.
As a responsible boater, you undoubtedly know that it is against the law to operate a boat while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, other people may not know that or may choose to ignore it because they assume they won’t get caught.
Far from being a victimless crime, drunk boating all too often has tragic consequences. Drunk boaters can and do put the lives of other people at risk out on the South Carolina waters.
People under the influence don’t pay attention
One of the biggest problems alcohol causes for those operating machinery is difficulty focusing and making rational decisions. They might forget how dangerous the multiple-ton machine they’re driving or piloting can really be to others. Alcohol can also make someone’s reaction time a bit longer, making it harder for them to prevent a crash from occurring.
Drunk drivers are often on their best behavior because they know that there are police out looking for them. Drunk boaters assume that there is very little risk involved in their behavior. Additionally, because there aren’t lanes or roads, the open water can lead too erratic paths and dangerous maneuvers by someone who has had a few drinks.
A drunk boater could easily crash in to another vehicle or even run over someone on a boogie board or just out swimming. When a drunk boater injures someone else, the victims of that crash could have grounds for a civil lawsuit.