Boaters Reminder: Drive Responsibly on the Waters this Season

PRLog (Press Release) - Jun. 27, 2012 - EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, NJ (June 27, 2012) – Boating season is in full swing. Captains and their passengers need to be aware that drinking alcohol when on the water is a lot more dangerous than drinking on land.

“The effects of the sun, wind, engine noise, vibrations and the boat motion are all magnified when a person is intoxicated,” said Marc Ludwig, Allstate New Jersey Exclusive Agent for Egg Harbor Township, Northfield and Berlin.  “Boaters need to remember to drive responsibly not only in their cars, but on the waters.”

According to Allstate Marketing’s Boat Safety, Your Guide to Safe Boating brochure, boating and drinking don’t mix. In addition to the named effects, drinking can cause a person’s vision, balance and coordination to be impaired, which leads to more accidents.

Research has shown that boat operators with blood alcohol content over the legal limit are 10 times more likely to be killed in an accident than those who have not been drinking. Over half the alcohol-related deaths occurred because the victim capsized the boat or fell overboard.

For information on boat insurance, contact your local Allstate Agent at 1-800-ALLSTATE.