Safety Advocates Urge Same Alcohol Limit for Georgia Boaters, Motorists

Safety advocates are continuing to push for a lower legal limit for boaters who consume alcohol on Georgia’s lakes and rivers.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that most states require the blood-alcohol content of a boat operator to be lower than .08.

In Georgia, the legal alcohol limit for boat drivers is .10, even though Georgians who get behind the wheel of a car must keep their blood-alcohol content below .08.

This year, legislation to lower the limit to .08 was approved in Georgia’s House but died in a Senate committee.

Meanwhile, budget cuts also have undercut Department of Natural Resources ranger patrols on Georgia waterways. Col. Eddie Henderson of the DNR said the agency has lost about 20 percent of its rangers.