Georgia Boating and Alcohol Laws Less Strict than DUI Laws

By Grant Law Office on June 29, 2012

Georgia’s laws against boating while under the influence of alcohol (BUI) are looser than the state’s laws against driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and also looser than the BUI laws of many other states, prompting some to call for a change.

Currently, Georgia law prohibits driving a boat if one’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is higher than 0.10 percent. However, Georgia law sets the cutoff BAC for legal driving at 0.08 percent. Many other states set their boating limit at 0.08 percent as well, but Georgia does not.

Supporters of a recent bill to lower the BAC limit for boaters to 0.08 percent note that many factors of boating can combine to make alcohol use while driving a boat more dangerous than driving a car. The glare of sunlight on the water, the presence of many passengers, the vibrations, and the presence of a lake or river that increases the risk of drowning all make boating while under the influence of alcohol dangerous.

The number of fatal boating accidents in Georgia has increased in recent years, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). These have included accidents in which a boater who was under the influence of alcohol collided with another boat, causing deaths and serious injuries.

Boating accidents can cause serious injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in a boating or water-related accident, please don’t hesitate to call an experienced personal injury lawyer in Atlanta at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. Our number (404) 995-3955; call us today for a free and confidential consultation.