Georgia boat operators have a higher blood-alcohol limit than boaters in other states. Most states enforce .08, the same limit as drivers of cars, as the legal alcohol maximum, but Georgia allows the legal limit for boat drivers to be as high as .10.
It’s a strange difference that has some Georgia officials examining blood-alcohol content laws, according to the AJC.
There are times even when boating can be more dangerous than driving a car, especially with boats not having brakes and the dangerous conditions of a lake: wind, vibration, sun, noise, etc.
Earlier this week, a tragic boating accident happened at Lake Lanier.
An apparently drunk man was operating a fishing boat at a high rate of speed when he crashed head-on into a pontoon boat. The collision happened between Lake Lanier Islands and Buford Dam around 10:30 p.m.
The pontoon boat was carrying 13 passengers- four adults and nine children. One boy was sadly pronounced dead on the scene and the boy’s brother remains missing and is presumed to be dead as well,according to Fox5 Atlanta.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resourcessay that the man driving the fishing boat could face homicide by vehicle or failure to render aid charges since he fled to the marina after the crash.
He already has been charged with boating under the influence.