Summer in Tennessee is a great time to visit one of the state’s many lakes and reservoirs for boating fun. Driving a boat or personal watercraft, however, requires concentration, the ability to make good decisions, and the reflexes to take quick action if an emergency arises. All these skills are impaired by alcohol, which means that combining boating and drinking is a recipe for increased danger.
Tennessee law prohibits boaters from operating a boat if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher – the same requirement of motorists driving cars. Although it’s not illegal to have alcohol on a boat, the boat’s driver should avoid drinking until the party is safely on land. Boating accidents such as striking another boat or an underwater hazard, speeding that cause the boat to tip or capsize, and other antics that cause someone to fall overboard can all cause victims to suffer serious injuries.
Each year, boaters in Tennessee and elsewhere suffer head injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and other injuries in boating accidents. Many of these accidents involve a boater who was using alcohol. Since the risk of severe injury in a boating accident in Tennessee increases the more intoxicated a driver gets, drinking and boating can change a person’s life in an instant if a serious accident occurs.
Choosing a designated driver for your boat is one way to reduce the risk of alcohol-related boating accidents. Unfortunately, you cannot prevent other boaters from using alcohol and causing accidents. If you or someone you love has been injured in a boating accident caused by an intoxicated or otherwise negligent boater, contact the experienced boating accident attorneys in Chattanooga at Massey & Associates, P.C. We will carefully examine the specifics of your case and fight to hold any negligent parties accountable for their actions. For a free consultation, call our law offices at (423) 396-0720 today.
Gary Massey, Jr., is a well-known courtroom advocate practicing law in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gary is a native of Tennessee who began practicing law in 1998. He graduated from Cumberland School of Law where he was ranked in the top 3% of his class and was an editor of the Cumberland Law Review.
