| OSMB News |
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| For Immediate Release |
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5/19/08
Memorial Day Weekend -Keep the Waterways Safe
With the great water levels for the start of the summer boating season,
Oregon State Marine Board reminds boaters to “Boat Safe, Boat Sober.”
Salem, Ore. -As Memorial Day weekend kicks off the boating season in Oregon, the Oregon State Marine Board reminds boaters headed to the water for fun to stay sober, wear a life jacket and be courteous to other boaters.
“With the beautiful weather, people are lured to the water for relaxation and fun” said Ashley Massey, OSMB public affairs specialist. “Every year, a fun day can turn tragic because of alcohol. It impairs your judgment and you take risks you normally wouldn’t. We see a lot of reckless operation and discourteous behavior, not to mention people jumping into freezing water without a life jacket, when they are drinking."
For decades, OSMB statistics show that 50 percent of boating accidents and one-third of boating fatalities in Oregon each year are alcohol-related.
Alcohol or other substances impair judgment, vision, balance and coordination and the effects are amplified on the water due to the motion of the boat and environmental stressors such as glare, wind and sun — increasing the likelihood of boating accidents and fatalities. In fact, the U.S. Coast Guard says that a boat operator whose blood alcohol concentration exceeds 0.10 percent is 10 times more likely to be killed in a boating accident.
In Oregon, a boater is considered legally “under the influence” with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08 percent or higher. Plus, marine officers can still arrest boaters for observed impairment below 0.08 percent BAC. An impaired boat operator who is arrested for Boating Under the Influence of Intoxicants (BUII) in Oregon faces fines of up to $6,250 and/or up to one year in jail, loss of boat operation privileges for a period of time and suspension of boat registration for up to three years.
“Reckless operation is taken very seriously,” said Massey. “We have to be tough on violators to keep Oregon’s waterways safe for everyone, because innocent people are usually the victims.”
To avoid receiving a BUII citation and to prevent boating accidents and fatalities, the Marine Board offers the following tips:
- Leave alcohol at home or on the shore. Instead, take along a variety of non-alcoholic beverages.
- If you are feeling fatigued, take a break on land and return to the water when you are reenergized and alert.
- If you dock somewhere to eat and choose to drink alcohol with your meal, wait a minimum of one hour for each drink consumed before operating
your watercraft.
- Being alcohol-free while onboard is the safest way to enjoy the water. Intoxicated passengers are equally at risk of injury and death.
- Operators and passengers should wear properly fitting personal flotation devices (life jackets). A full description of life jackets can be found at http://www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/safety/safety.shtml.
- Take a boating safety course. In Oregon, boaters 70 years of age and younger must carry a boater education card when operating a powerboat greater than 10 horsepower.
For more information about safe boating in Oregon, contact Ashley Massey, OSMB public affairs specialist, 503.378.2623 or visit www.boatoregon.com.
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