Drinking can lead to the reckless operation of boats

On behalf of Eisenmenger, Robinson & Peters, P.A. posted in Boating Accidents on Friday, June 12, 2015.

For most young people school is out and their families are beginning to plan summer vacations. While some Florida residents will leave the state to explore far-off destinations, others will stay right here in the Sunshine State to relax and have fun. For many, summer pleasure involves spending time on the vast expanses of water that surround and traverse the state. Boating is a favored pastime for residents and visitors alike.

Unfortunately, some individuals choose to engage in dangerous and even reckless behaviors while operating their vessels. Drinking and boating is a problem for individuals who engage in the harmful practice as well as for those who may encounter them on the water. An intoxicated boater may face criminal charges for his reckless operation of a watercraft, and if his actions harm others he could face civil claims for compensation as well from those who may have been hurt in an accident.

Just as drunk driving accidents happen on roads, they also happen on Florida waterways. Collisions between boats, boats and personal watercrafts and even boats and swimmers cause injuries and deaths each year. An accident on the water is particularly treacherous if an injured party is incapacitated and unable to get out of the water; drowning as a result of a drunk driving boating accident can occur in serious situations.

Although for most people a day on the water is full of fun and rest, it can become a nightmare when a drunk boater creates hazards for innocent parties. The reckless operation of a boat by an intoxicated boater can put lives at risk. Individuals who have been harmed in drunk driving boating accidents know how devastating such incidents can be. For this reason, personal injury causes of actions may be available to some boating accident victims.

Tags: Boating Accidents