Don't Boat Under The Influence This Holiday Weekend

SEATTLE, WA — The Washington State Parks Boating Program has a very simple message to everyone who is going out on the water this holiday weekend: don't operate a boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

To that end, law enforcement agencies will be patrolling fresh and marine waters from July 3 through 5 to try to stop anyone who may be boating while intoxicated. The emphasis patrol is part of a nationwide boating-under-the-influence enforcement program called Operation Dry Water.

In Washington, it's illegal to use any sort of substance that might impair your ability to boat, including alcohol or marijuana. The law is in effect for everything from small watercraft like kayaks, canoes, rafts and rowboats to larger motorboats and yachts.

Local law enforcement agencies say there are a few things everyone should know about boating-under-the-influence, or BUIs:

• Officers can legally require boaters to take a blood or breath test to prove they are not under the influence.
• Anyone who refuses to take a test can be charged up to $2,050 for a civil infraction.
• Boaters who are under the influence can face a gross misdemeanor, with up to $5,000 fines and 364 days behind bars.
• A BUI can be considered a "prior offense" if the same person is later convicted of driving under the influence, making that punishment harsher as well.

The State Parks Boating Program says boating-under-the-influence is a deadly serious issue: between 2006 and 2016 1,241 people were killed nationwide in BUI accidents. In Washington state alone, 57 people were killed in BUI crashes during that same time frame, and in 2017 44 percent of Washington's deadly boating accidents involved drugs or alcohol.

Safety experts say instead of risking a BUI, fines or other people's lives, just designate a sober skipper who will pilot the boat if you're drinking out on the water this holiday weekend.

More information about boating safety and BUI laws in Washington can be found by visiting boatsober.org.