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Summertime Safety at Saylorville Lake Boating and Drinking Alcohol

By Corey Walker

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 28Jun2009 Word count: 403 Viewed: 273 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Every summer people gather with friends and family at lakes around the state to enjoy the warm weather and cool water. Favorite lake activities often include water skiing, tubing, jet skiing, fishing and other boating activities. People tend to enjoy a few cocktails while relaxing out in the sun. In order to reduce the risk of injuries, Iowa has passed laws concerning alcohol and boating.

Accidents involving alcohol and a boat can occur just as much as if you were driving a car instead. You are still capable of hurting yourself or someone if you decide to drink and drive a boat.

A person can be charged with boating while intoxicated if their blood alcohol content is .10% or greater. While making it illegal to operate a boat under the influence reduces the chances of a boating accident, unfortunately with or without this law dozens of Iowans are seriously injured each year in accidents involving boats, wave runners, jet skis and other personal watercrafts.

Any person who operates a motorboat or sailboat on navigable waters gives consent to a blood, breath, urine or chemical test to determine if the person is intoxicated, if reasonable grounds exist to believe the person is intoxicated or under the influence. Refusal to submit to a test will result in a fine of at least $500 and a suspension of boating privileges for at least one year.

- A boating while intoxicated first offense carries a minimum 48 hours in jail, a $1,000.00 fine, a suspension of boating privileges of one year and attendance at a course for drinking drivers.

- A second offense requires 7 days in jail, a fine between $1,500 and $5,000, a suspension of privileges for two years and the drinking drivers' course.

- Third offense boating while intoxicated is a Class "D" Felony and may result in 5 years in prison in addition to enhanced fines and a six year boating privileges suspension.

Boating while intoxicated offenses apply only to the operator of the boat and Iowa law allows passengers of legal age to consume alcohol while on the boat. So the best advice is just like driving a car, designate a sober person to drive the boat before hand if people are going to be drinking.

Drinking and boating isn't worth risking an accident on the water. Don't wreck your hot summer days on the water by being careless while having a good time boating with your friends and family.

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