National Safe Boating Week Tip #4 - Pledge to be a Sober Skipper

Most people don’t realize that the sun, wind and motion of the boat greatly magnify the effects of alcohol or drug use even if the driver is under the legal limit. These additional stressors on the body can mean that the boat operator can still be impaired to the extent where safety is compromised. And, according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s report on recreational boating, there were 282 accidents, 113 deaths and 221 injuries that were attributed to Boating Under the Influence (BUI) in 2019. Every single one of these tragic events could have been prevented by having a Sober Skipper in control of the boat and all of the passengers on board to keep everyone safe.

The Sea Tow Foundation’s Sober Skipper Campaign was started in 2015 and, since that time, events have been held in all 50 states where yellow wristbands are distributed signifying that a boater has taken the pledge to be the Sober Skipper. To get a wristband that identifies you as a Sober Skipper, go to www.soberskipper.com and Take the Pledge today. Together, we can eliminate Boating Under the Influence accidents and deaths and keep everyone on the water safe.