Lake of the Ozarks is a popular vacation destination for people across Missouri and the Midwest. Some families visit regularly, while others may plan special trips to the region specifically to visit this popular tourist destination.
Most visitors enjoy their outings at Lake of the Ozarks with nothing but pleasant memories and photographs to take home with them. Unfortunately, a few visitors every year end up injured and dealing with the aftermath of a boating collision. Some of the boating incidents reported on Lake of the Ozarks occur because of intoxicated operators.
Drunk boating is illegal
Missouri has very clear statutes prohibiting impairment while operating a boat. Boat operators are subject to the same limits on their blood alcohol concentration as those operating motor vehicles. However, people may feel more comfortable violating drunk boating laws than drunk driving laws.
They might assume that there is no one there to enforce the rules and that they are less likely to have an incident on the water because they can navigate more freely than on the road. In reality, the limited law enforcement patrols and lack of lanes or signage can increase the risk of preventable and serious boating incidents.
Boat operators may fail to monitor their surroundings despite their consumption of alcohol. Being out on the water for hours may lead to dehydration, which may exacerbate the symptoms of impairment caused by alcohol. Some people may even combine alcohol with other substances despite the enhanced impairment that such choices may produce.
Impaired boaters may fail to notice swimmers near them in the water. They may strike other vessels, including personal watercraft like jet skis. They can cause severe incidents that result in life-altering injuries, costly property damage and even fatalities. The people harmed by drunk boating incidents may have grounds to take legal action against the intoxicated boat operator.
Reviewing the details of a boating incident with a skilled legal team can help the affected parties determine what options they have available. Insurance may be an option, and civil lawsuits may also be possible when there isn’t available insurance coverage or the losses triggered by the incident are extensive. Boat operators who were under the influence at the time of a collision are often liable for the harm they cause other people.