Boating accidents, BUIs drop

By Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Boating accidents and boating under the influence arrests over the July 4th weekend dropped significantly compared to last year, state officials said.

There were eight boating accidents on Georgia waters this weekend, compared to 18 last year. Department of Natural Resources officers arrested 16 people for boating under the influence, compared to 31 last year.

"We try harder and harder every year to educate the public and maybe it's trickling down and we're seeing some effect," DNR Lt. Judd Smith told the AJC. "Probably the economy has something to do with it, too. People don't have money to spend on boat gas, so boat traffic has slacked off a bit.

"And when the reservoirs are full, especially at Lanier and Allatoona, you don't have as many accidents because there's more surface area," Smith added. "Per boat, they have more room. You don't have the hazards sticking out. We're a whole lot better when the lakes are full.

"Those would be my guesses as to why."

Six of the accidents this weekend involved injuries, but none was life-threatening, according to Smith. There was one boating fatality last year.

A 19-year-old man drowned in the Ocmulgee River late Saturday when he apparently fell off an inner tube. The man was not wearing a life preserver, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

That was the only drowning reported this weekend, the DNR said, compared to three during last year's holiday weekend.

The agency said BUI arrests were made at Lake Hartwell, Lake Lanier, Lake Oconee, Lake Harding, West Point Lake, Lake Jackson, Lake Peachtree and the Ogeechee River.