PHOENIX — If time on the lake is part of your Memorial Day weekend plans, stay safe by always designating a sober operator. The holiday weekend is a popular time for Arizonans to enjoy the state’s waterways, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) wants to remind all boaters to be safe.
According to the National Association for State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), alcohol is responsible for 1 in 5 boating deaths in the United States where the primary cause is known, reinforcing the importance of sober boating during National Safe Boating Week, a nationwide effort to promote boating safety ahead of the busy summer boating season. Alcohol remains the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating incidents nationwide.
“If alcohol is being consumed on your boat, it’s extremely important that you have a sober operator,” said Danny Rodriguez, boating law administrator for AZGFD. “Not only will this be safer for you and your passengers, it will create a safer atmosphere for everyone on the water.”
Although the legal limit for operating a boat in Arizona is a .08 blood-alcohol concentration, an operator is in violation of the law and may be prosecuted for operating a watercraft while impaired to the slightest degree by alcohol and/or drugs. AZGFD officers and those with partner agencies patrol the state’s waterways and may stop boaters who are not following the rules of navigation or operating recklessly.
“Most of the responsibility for safe boating falls on the operator,” Rodriguez said. “The goal of our officers is not to stop people from having fun while boating. We want people to be safe so they can continue to enjoy Arizona’s outdoor recreational opportunities.”
We would like to remind the public that wearing a life jacket is the most important safety measure you can take to protect yourself and your family while out on the water.
Boaters looking for an overview of navigational rules, legal requirements and safety information can take an online or in-person course. AZGFD offers free boater safety education courses every month in Phoenix and Lake Havasu City, and a list of online courses approved by the department is posted on azgfd.gov.
