New boating laws have taken effect in Georgia, and they apply to everyone boating in the state - whether or not you are a resident.
The biggest change is this: anyone in Georgia born in 1998 or later must take an approved boating safety course before taking the wheel of a boat or personal watercraft. (This new education requirement, however, will not be enforced until July 1, 2014.) While taking a boating safety course has always been a good practice, especially for younger boaters, such a course is now required by law.
The following persons, however, are exempt:
- a person licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard as a master of a vessel;
- a person operating on a private lake or pond; or
- a non-resident who has in his or her possession proof that he or she has completed a NASBLA approved boater education course or equivalency examination from another state.
Other provisions of Senate Bill 136, which went into effect on May 15, 2013, include lowering the maximum blood alcohol level from .10 to .08 for anyone operating a boat. This now makes the legal blood acohol limit the same for boating and driving. The new law also increases penalties for those caught boating while intoxicated. In addition, the new legislation tightens life jacket laws, requiring anyone on a moving boat who is 13 years old or younger to wear a life jacket (previously, it was recommended for kids under 13 and required for kids under 10).
These changes stem from the three boating-related deaths of children in Georgia last summer. We think they are good changes, ones that should make our children safer and keep everyone a bit more responsible for safety on the water.
What do you think of these new boating laws?
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