With the upcoming Canada Day looking to be a hot one, the provincial RCMP is taking the opportunity to remind people of safe boating practices, such as avoiding drinking and driving. They advise boaters that drinking and boating can result in losing your driver’s license, hefty fines, and even time in jail.
“Boat operators found to be impaired can face the same penalties as impaired drivers,” advises Corporal Jamie Diemert, Coordinator of Saskatchewan RCMP’s Underwater Recovery Team. “Whether you’re sailing on Last Mountain Lake, pontooning on Lake Diefenbaker, or paddling the Churchill River, we want all boat operators and passengers to stay safe and sober.”
The RCMP says that alcohol contributes to a number of boating incidents, being involved in 60% of fatal boating accidents that happen in Canada each year. They ask people to avoid alcohol, cannabis, or other intoxicants while boating, as even small amounts can impair judgement, delay response reactions, and impact motor function.
As the summer continues, the RCMP will be conducting proactive boat patrols on waterways in Saskatchewan. Same as on a highway, officers on police boats can test for intoxication on the water through sobriety testing.
In most cases, drinking or having open containers of alcohol on a watercraft is illegal, unless these three criteria are met:
- The watercraft is not in motion.
- The watercraft is secured by being docked, beached, anchored, or otherwise.
- The watercraft has a permanent sleeping area, bathroom, and kitchen onboard.
If a boat is not equipped with these permanent facilities, then no one on board is permitted to consume alcohol on board at any time. This includes both motorized boats as well as non-motorized vessels like canoes and kayaks.
If you are on the water and can see or are passing a police boat with emergency signals engaged, the RCMP asks that you slow down and follow the instructions of their officers or other emergency personnel:
- Pull over your boat, safely bring it to a stop, and turn off the engine.
- Remain onboard the boat and follow all instructions from the officer.
- Have your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC), license/registration, and personal identification onboard and ready to present.
If you suspect that someone is driving a boat or operating a watercraft while impaired, the RCMP asks that you call 911.