COLUMBUS, OH - With the July Fourth weekend expected to bring a record number of boaters to Ohio waterways, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) urges increased alertness and safety while on the water.
"Rainy weekends have kept many boaters indoors during the early season and we've been fortunate in seeing fewer boating accidents than last year," said Ken Alvey, chief of the ODNR Division of Watercraft. "But boaters still need to stay sober, stay alert and regard safety on the water as their highest priority."
Boaters are included in the state's drunken driving law that was revised last year. The current blood alcohol limit by which a motorist or boat operator may be considered legally intoxicated is 0.08 percent. Last year, state watercraft officers issued 76 citations to legally drunk watercraft operators.
Alcohol impairs judgment, balance, physical coordination and the ability to think clearly, all of which are important to boating safely. The ODNR Division of Watercraft suggests these tips to enjoy boating safely during the Fourth of July holiday weekend and any time while boating:
- Take along plenty of food and a variety of nonalcoholic liquids such as water, iced tea, lemonade and soda.
- Wear clothes that keep you cool and comfortable.
- If you dock and drink alcohol, wait a reasonable length of time before getting underway.
- Be sure to have a sober designated driver as the boat operator.
- No alcohol aboard a boat is the safe way to go as intoxicated passengers can fall overboard.
- Always wear a life jacket and stay alert of all boating activities.