As temperatures rise, people look for ways to get out and enjoy the summer weather, particularly on the weekends. Boating is a wonderful way to blow off some steam after a long week at work and/or spend some quality time with friends or family. The sun and the waves have a way of washing away someone’s stress and making an average afternoon into an unforgettable experience.
Unfortunately for some people who enjoy time out on the open water, their boating excursions could eventually lead to criminal charges. Although many people love to drink while out on a boat, if they have too much, they run the risk of arrest and prosecution. Those who are stopped while they are over the legal limit for their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or who cause an incident while under the influence could easily end up facing charges.
Two factors about drinking out on a boat ride may increase someone’s risk of intoxication and diminished control of their vessel.
Heat and sun exposure increase dehydration
One of the reasons that alcohol has a lingering impact on the human body is that it causes dehydration. Every alcoholic beverage someone consumes will decrease their overall hydration levels. Dehydration can exacerbate the symptoms of intoxication that people experience after drinking multiple alcoholic beverages. The extended exposure to high temperatures and intense sunlight likely during summer boating excursions may increase someone’s dehydration and make the overall impairment caused by the alcohol more obvious.
Social enjoyment may override someone’s better judgment
People know that they should limit how much they drink, but they have a harder time stopping themselves when enjoying a social interaction. Those enjoying a few cold beers with their friends while on the waves might have more than they usually would or might drink more rapidly than their body can metabolize the alcohol. In either case, someone in control of a boat could easily find themselves over the legal limit and in violation of the law.
Those who have been arrested and are facing boating under the influence charges can face jail time and fines, among other potential consequences. Accounting for risk factors can help people reduce the possibility of getting arrested for drunk boating while they are out enjoying the summer weather.
