Marine Deputy Todd Baker says there are many ways in which operating a boat can be more dangerous than driving a car. For one thing, he said, waterways don’t have lanes, meaning boaters have to keep an eye out for swimmers, kayakers and other watercraft coming from every direction.
“Then you throw alcohol on top of that, and you increase your odds of becoming involved in an accident,” the Clark County sheriff’s deputy said.
As the Fourth of July weekend approaches and people plan to head out to enjoy the area rivers and lakes, officials are sending out a simple message: Don’t drink and boat.
The sheriff’s office is joining other marine deputies in the region and participating in Operation Drywater, a national campaign lasting from Friday to Sunday that heightens enforcement for those violating laws against boating under the influence.
Washington’s legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.08, and for marijuana, it’s 0.05 nanograms per milliliter of THC — the active ingredient in marijuana.
Operating a boat under the influence is a gross misdemeanor that carries a maximum fine of $5,000 and up to 364 days in jail.
“We’re recommending everyone designate a skipper like they would designate a driver of the car,” Baker said.
Nationally, alcohol was the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents where a cause was determined, according to 2015 Recreational Boating Statistics.
In Washington, there have been 57 deaths in the past 10 years that have been attributed to boating under the influence, according to Washington State Parks.
In Clark County, an average of one person dies each year in a boating-related accident, Baker said.
After 18 years as a marine deputy for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Baker said that the people who witness these tragedies tend to tell the same story.
“I always hear from people who were there and survived that it happened so fast,” he said. “People need to realize that things happen fast on the water.”
The frustrating part, Baker said, is that a lot of these tragic incidents are preventable. On top of discouraging drinking and boating, Baker also urges everyone to use a life jacket.
“It’s just like a seat belt in your car,” he said.
Of the fatalities, Baker said that “nine out of 10 people would be alive if they just had a life jacket on.”
