Boating Under The Influence

Boating Under The Influence

Boating under the influence, even though a boat is not driven on the road like a car, boaters have to follow many of the same rules that drivers on the road need to follow. One such rule is that you cannot operate a boat while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. There are fines and penalties associated with boating while under the influence, just as if you were to get arrested for it with a car.

Boating Under the Influence in Orlando Florida

• The charges for boating under the influence are about the same as those for driving a vehicle under the influence. The first offense charges are minimal, unless there is property damage or bodily injury to another person involved at the scene.  Those penalties and fines include a fine of less than $500, and jail time of less than six months. There will rarely be jail time unless the other factors such as bodily harm or property damaged were incurred.

Second Offense Boating Under the Influence

• The second offense for boaters under the influence includes a fine of between $500 and $1,000. Jail time could be up to nine months for the second conviction, but usually only if other factors were present such as a minor on the boat, property damage or bodily harm occurred to someone in the boat or on another boat.

Third Offense Boating Under the Influence

• When a person has a third conviction, the time it happens is then also considered in to the fines. If the third offense happens within ten years of the first two, then it is considered a felony and the charges and fines are substantially higher. There might be jail time and a judge can order the person to attend AA classes, DUI school, alcohol education classes or even make them attend rehab. When the orders are not followed, the judge can then revoke probation and return the person to jail for a set period of time.

• If the third conviction happens after ten years of the first two, then it is treated as another violation. The fine will be between $1,000 and $2,500. Jail time might include a stay of up to one year. The penalties and jail time could be harsher with bodily injury or personal property damages to another person.

• Fourth and later convictions are automatically considered felonies, no matter when they happened or how close together they occurred. There will be substantial fines and probable jail time for the offending person. The minimum fine would be $1,000 and jail time could be up to two years.

There are also penalties for people in the boat who are under age and appear to be drinking or for when adults in the boat are drinking and there are minors present. Repeated offense may make it illegal for a person to operate a boat in the future, no matter how long it is between subsequent arrests or convictions.  When you or a loved one are faced with a situation with a DUI arrest and your boat, you will want to contact a Florida DUI attorney who can help you navigate through the process and think twice about boating under the influence.