How To Avoid A BUI

Are you getting ready for a day on the lake? Don’t forget the sunscreen.

It might also be helpful to know how to stay safe while you are out on the water.

Boating under the influence is a dangerous condition that kills both boat operators and passengers every year. There are many reasons for this. One is drinking alcohol or taking drugs leads to the decline of both physical and mental skills. Many of these skills are needed to operate a motor vehicle or a boat. They include: judgment, coordination, reaction time, depth perception, peripheral vision, night vision and much more.

Boating Can Exacerbate The Effects Of Alcohol

There are also natural stressors that lead to fatigue when you are on a boat. Did you ever notice that you become tired quicker when you are out on the water then when you are at home? This is because the heat, vibration of the boat and engine noise all lead to a condition known as boater’s hypnosis. If you add alcohol on top of all of that, you become both tired and impaired fairly quickly.

Drinking is also dangerous to passengers. Because alcohol leads to a loss of coordination, people can easily fall off of the boat. Once they fall it will be harder for them to know which way is up and which way is down as well as to grab on to any life preservers that are thrown to them.

Boating under the influence is illegal. If you are found to be operating a boat while you are drunk, you can be arrested. Your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked and you will face hefty fines. You may also be sentenced to jail time.

Avoid The Consequences Of A BUI With Safe Boating

But the good news is that are many ways to avoid boating under the influence. Boating, fishing, water skiing and tubing are fun on their own, even without drinking:

• You should bring along a variety of sodas, water, tea or nonalcoholic beer. Also be sure to bring snacks and food.
• Limit the length of your boat trip to avoid fatigue.
• Wear clothes that will keep you cool.

Consider not bringing alcohol when you are onboard. This will protect both the boat operator and the passengers.