Booze and boats don't mix 13 September 2002 13 September 2002
<BR>Alcohol is still a major contributor to boating fatalities, says the Alcohol Advisory Council which is warning people not to go overboard with the booze when they're out in boats this summer. And that message applied to passengers as much as skippers, ALAC says.<br><br>"Drink-driving isn't just a problem on our roads," says ALAC's Chief Executive Officer Dr Mike MacAvoy. "Previous studies of drownings in Auckland suggested that nearly half the victims of fatal boating accidents in New Zealand tested positive for blood alcohol, and over a quarter were too drunk to have driven legally on our roads." <br><br>ALAC is using its 'Don't go Overboard with the Booze' message in an Auckland region Summer Safe campaign which encourages skippers and passengers to be safe on the water.<br><br>"Our research from a previous campaign shows that a high proportion of people recall the message - even though there are an awful lot of competing safety messages out there," Dr MacAvoy says. "However, ma
Alcohol is still a major contributor to boating fatalities, says the Alcohol Advisory Council which is warning people not to go overboard with the booze when they're out in boats this summer. And that message applied to passengers as much as skippers, ALAC says.
"Drink-driving isn't just a problem on our roads," says ALAC's Chief Executive Officer Dr Mike MacAvoy. "Previous studies of drownings in Auckland suggested that nearly half the victims of fatal boating accidents in New Zealand tested positive for blood alcohol, and over a quarter were too drunk to have driven legally on our roads."
ALAC is using its 'Don't go Overboard with the Booze' message in an Auckland region Summer Safe campaign which encourages skippers and passengers to be safe on the water.
"Our research from a previous campaign shows that a high proportion of people recall the message - even though there are an awful lot of competing safety messages out there," Dr MacAvoy says. "However, many people still don't realise the danger that passengers expose themselves to when drinking too much on the water."
He says it takes only about a third as much alcohol to seriously impair a person's judgement on the water as it does on land. "Sun, wind and the movement of the boat amplify the effect. Alcohol also affects your night vision, your balance, and even your ability to distinguish red and green.
"We're not trying to be wowsers about it. We're just saying that if you love being out on the water, don't make it more dangerous than it needs to be. If you're drinking, don't go overboard," says Dr MacAvoy.
