The Canadian Safe Boating Council is urging people to not drink while out in the boat. The organization has launched their fifth year of their “Operation Dry Water” initiative in hopes to decrease the amount of alcohol related deaths.
Executive Director of the Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories Branch Kelly Carter explains that it doesn’t just apply to motorized boats. She adds that even a person in a canoe can be charged under the Criminal Code of Canada if their blood alcohol level exceeds .08.
“Alcohol is a common factor associated with drowning. Don’t enter the water if you have been drinking. Alcohol influences balance, coordination, and judgement, and its effects are heightened by sun exposure and heat, making it more difficult to get yourself out of trouble.”
According to CSBC, drinking and boating accounts for approximately 40 per cent of boating related deaths in Canada.