NJ Launches Know Before You Boat Campaign – BUI Can Cost You Big

The "Know Before You Boat" campaign, a new month-long initiative to educate boaters on the dangers of drinking or using drugs while operating a boat, will be introduced this Friday, July 31, at 10:30 am, at a press conference at Farley Marina in Atlantic City.

The safety initiative runs throughout August - one of New Jersey's busiest recreational boating months.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in fatal recreational boating incidents nationwide.

Marine conditions such as sun exposure, wind, waves, engine noise, and vibration accelerate fatigue and significantly intensify the impairing effects of alcohol, slowing reaction times even after small amounts.

What Penalties Await Someone Boating Under the Influence

This "Know Before You Boat" campaign got us thinking about the penalties for operating a boat while under the influence.

A person operating a boat is held to the same standards as someone behind the wheel of a car. It is illegal for a person to operate a boat while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

If you are stopped for suspicion of a BWI or BUI, the captain of the boat must submit to the same field sobriety test as someone being stopped in a car.

That will certainly ruin your fun day out on the water.

The captain of the boat may also have to submit to a Breathalyzer test to determine their blood alcohol content.

For a first offense of BWI/BUI in a boat with a BAC that is at or above 0.08% and under 0.10%, the boat operator is subject to a suspension of his or her boating license for one year and a suspension of motor vehicle driving privileges for three months, plus fines and surcharges.

There might also be a jail term of up to 30 days.

If your blood alcohol content is over 0.10%, the license suspension from driving a boat will be for one year, and the driver's license for a motor vehicle will be suspended for seven months to one year.

For a second offense within ten years of the first, both the boating privileges and driver's license will be suspended for two years.

After learning about the penalties and the potential risks to yourself and others, you really have to ask yourself whether it is worth it.

With a campaign like "Know Before You Boat" underway, you can be sure that officials will be on the lookout for boaters not following the laws.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, Mothers Against Drunk Driving New Jersey, the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau, and the United States Coast Guard are teaming up for this program launch of a BUI prevention campaign, with support from a grant from the MGM Resorts Foundation