A BUI can now land you in jail for a year
Jul 26, 2013, 6:10 AM | Updated: 5:25 pm
Unless you are really impaired, it is hard to get popped for boating under the influence (BUI), but that is going to change Sunday when tougher, new rules go into effect.
A lot of drunk boaters have been able to escape punishment in the past because officers can’t do field sobriety tests on the water. Just imagine making someone hop on one foot or close his eyes and touch his nose when the boat is rocking back and forth. You could request a blood draw, but that could take a few hours because you have get back to the dock and then go to the police station and that gives you time to sober up.
Under current law, BUI is a simple misdemeanor. It’s just a moderate fine.
But all that changes on Sunday. BUI becomes a gross misdemeanor, which can cost you a $5,000 fine and a year in jail.
Wade Alonzo is the manager of the state’s boater safety program. He pushed for the changes because boating under the influence is just as deadly as driving under the influence. “In Washington state, alcohol is contributing factor in almost 30 percent of boating fatalities,” he told the legislature earlier this year while asking for the law change.
Between 2005 and 2011, 157 people died in boating accidents in Washington. Alcohol was involved in more than 50 of those deaths. “Alcohol is also a factor in a number of boating-related injury accidents,” he said.
The police now have the ability to take breathalizer tests on the water if they suspect someone is impaired.
Refusing to take that test can cost you more than $2,000.
Don’t forget, the police don’t need a reason to stop you on the water. They have the authority to perform safety checks for life jackets and other things without warning.
