Drinking & Boating Can Affect Driver’s License

There may not be potholes, pedestrians, oncoming traffic or police lurking behind corners, but recent evidence suggests the absence of such doesn’t make drinking on the water any safer or smarter than doing so and getting behind the wheel of a car.

New legislation means impaired boaters won’t just be taken off the water but may also have trouble getting home when they arrive back at the shore.

“Anybody that is charged with impaired operation of a vessel is going to receive an automatic 90-day suspension in their license…and then upon conviction, they’re also going to receive a mandatory one-year suspension on their driver’s license,” warns Sgt. Brian Dickson of the Toronto Police Marine Unit.

The new regulations came about thanks to a new bill that was passed Thursday. And hoping to eradicate dangerous drinking on the water, the new rules are especially strict, with penalties even for those that have had just one.

“That warning area where (we say), ‘Yeah, we know you’ve been drinking but you’re not over the legal limit of 100 milligrams,’ you’re going to be receiving what’s called a 12-hour suspension – you won’t be able to drive your vehicle for the next 12 hours,” added Dickson.

As is to be expected, many boaters feel the new legislation is too stern, but for some who spend the majority of their time on the water it’s not stiff at all, but just right.

“I think it’s overdue, there are too many yahoo boaters out there,” said avid boater Joseph Brick. “It’s just too dangerous out there now.”

“You can take a responsible route or you can take an irresponsible route…just be prepared to face the consequences.”

While these new rules are in effect throughout Ontario, the Toronto Police Marine Unit doesn’t expect to be too busy enforcing them in and around the big city. Instead they say the real problem areas are north of Toronto in “cottage country” and that’s where they’ll be paying the closest attention.