WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	DEP patrolling the water for drunk boaters (Old Lyme-WTNH) _ With hot, sticky weather in the forecast it's bound to be a busy weekend on Connecticut's waterways. Boating season is in high-gear and state law enforcers want to make it as safe as possible, especially when it comes to drinking. So the Department of Environmental Protection is starting special 'spot checks' on the water. They'll be stopping boaters and checking for violations including anyone who may have had too much to drink. News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports. Out here it's pretty hard to spot someone who's had too much to drink. Drunk or sober most boaters look like they're driving erratically. Mark Shaw, DEP Officer: "There are no defined lines, so they don't have that yellow or white line to determine if the boater is swerving on purpose or doing it involuntarily because he's intoxicated." To find out DEP officers do spot checks. Pulling up alongside a boat and talking to the operator. Most of the time the people they stop don't seem to mind. John DiGiovanni, Glastonbury: "Hey it's for safety's sake, ya know? that's why they made these laws, a few nuts out there spoil it for everybody else." It's true DiGiovanni may be drinking root beer but some boaters opt for booze. In fact each year dozens of people are arrested for operating a boat while they're drunk. You may not realize it but 'boating under the influence' is just as dangerous, if not more so, than driving a car under the influence. Factor in the motion of the water and the sun, and you feel it that much more. Sergeant Bob Zabilansky has seen boaters slam into other boats crash into piers and careen into jetties. The problem he says some people just don't know their limitations! Sgt. Bob Zabilansky, DEP Officer: "Sometimes the limitations are a lot closer than what they think they are they extend them beyond what they think they can handle, a 6 pack of beer on land and they get out here it's like they drank 12 beers." This weekend DEP officers and police will be looking for boaters who've had more than they can handle. If you're on the water for a day of fun you may want to leave the cooler of brewskies behind. One other thing to consider is that most boating fatalities occur when someone falls over board. If you're drunk and end up in the water it's harder to swim and harder to put on a life preserver, and even good swimmers drown if they're drunk. The DEP also says field sobriety tests will be given if needed, and any boat that can not be operated safely will be impounded. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

DEP patrolling the water for drunk boaters
(Old Lyme-WTNH) _ With hot, sticky weather in the forecast it's bound to be a busy weekend on Connecticut's waterways. Boating season is in high-gear and state law enforcers want to make it as safe as possible, especially when it comes to drinking. So the Department of Environmental Protection is starting special 'spot checks' on the water. They'll be stopping boaters and checking for violations including anyone who may have had too much to drink.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports.

Out here it's pretty hard to spot someone who's had too much to drink. Drunk or sober most boaters look like they're driving erratically.

Officer patrols water Mark Shaw, DEP Officer: "There are no defined lines, so they don't have that yellow or white line to determine if the boater is swerving on purpose or doing it involuntarily because he's intoxicated."

To find out DEP officers do spot checks. Pulling up alongside a boat and talking to the operator. Most of the time the people they stop don't seem to mind.

John DiGiovanni, Glastonbury: "Hey it's for safety's sake, ya know? that's why they made these laws, a few nuts out there spoil it for everybody else."

It's true DiGiovanni may be drinking root beer but some boaters opt for booze. In fact each year dozens of people are arrested for operating a boat while they're drunk.

You may not realize it but 'boating under the influence' is just as dangerous, if not more so, than driving a car under the influence. Factor in the motion of the water and the sun, and you feel it that much more.

Sergeant Bob Zabilansky has seen boaters slam into other boats crash into piers and careen into jetties. The problem he says some people just don't know their limitations!

Sgt. Bob Zabilansky, DEP Officer: "Sometimes the limitations are a lot closer than what they think they are they extend them beyond what they think they can handle, a 6 pack of beer on land and they get out here it's like they drank 12 beers."

This weekend DEP officers and police will be looking for boaters who've had more than they can handle. If you're on the water for a day of fun you may want to leave the cooler of brewskies behind.

One other thing to consider is that most boating fatalities occur when someone falls over board. If you're drunk and end up in the water it's harder to swim and harder to put on a life preserver, and even good swimmers drown if they're drunk.

The DEP also says field sobriety tests will be given if needed, and any boat that can not be operated safely will be impounded.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.