Boating Under the Influence Lawyer in Louisiana
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When you are in Louisiana, you may think that driving under influence is the only drunk driving that you can do. What if we told you that boating under the influence is taken as seriously as driving under the influence. It is a crime to take your boat into the nice-looking waters of Louisiana while you are under the influence. This is a crime that offers similar punishment as the DUI as it falls under the same statute.
The basic truth is that when you stare at how awesome the lakes in Louisiana are, you will always want to spend your days, boating. It is so amazing that we can't help but love it.
We are not the only ones that can't keep our boats and eyes off there, a lot of Louisianans are on this boat. This is one reason that we can see a lot of fishing and Cajun swamp sightseeing occurring on the lake.
The US Coast Guard has gone on to state that thousands of boating accidents occur on the beautiful lakes annually. This is why the government and authorities do not take boating under the influence lightly because it is a leading cause of these accidents.
If you are caught boating under the influence, do not think it is a joke. You may be used by the authorities as an example.
Causes of Boating Accidents in Louisiana
Thousands of boating accidents occur annually in Louisiana and there are different reasons that it occurs.
It could be because of boating under influence. In this case, you may have consumed alcohol, drugs or both. If a death should occur because of this, it could worsen your criminal case and the additional charge of Vehicular Homicide.
It could be that you have not mastered the art of boating.
It could be because you were manning the boat solely.
It could be they you were boating in areas that boating is not allowed in.
It could be that you were boating in a reckless manner
It could be because of the harsh weather and so on.
What Do You Do If You Are Arrested For Boating Under The Influence
Like earlier mentioned, boating under the influence is taken as seriously as driving under the influence, meaning that if care is not taken, you can be used as an example by the authorities.
To prevent accidents from occurring in the beautiful lakes of Louisiana, it is common for authorities to come up with rules and regulations. For example, you are not meant to boat if you do not have the skills and licensing. It is illegal in Louisiana to get into a boat, start it up and move through the beautiful lakes when you don't have the skills to man the boat. There are a number of people on the lakes at the same time, it could be the beautiful locals or tourists admiring the lakes. They could also be fishing. Driving without a license could affect their safety.
It could be driving under the influence. There, you took in alcohol or drugs- prescription or controlled substances- and started manning the boat. Like driving under the influence, at that moment, you are not in control of yourself. You can't make rational decisions on how to handle the boat. Your sight is blurred and you are a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. If caught by the authorities, there are things you should never do. The same thing applies if your loved one was caught boating under the influence of the coast guards.
Penalties for BUI
If you are caught boating under the influence in Louisiana, which is manning a vessel with a BAC of .08 if over 21, and .02 if the driver is underage, there are a number of penalties for you.
The penalty meted out to you is dependent on how intoxicated you were. It could be a fine of at most $1,000. It could some days in jail and having your license suspended.
Boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Louisiana affects your driver’s license and insurance just the same as driving a car under the influence.
Immediately you are arrested by an officer, contact Carl Barkemeyer, the Criminal Defense Attorney to ensure that your rights are not violated.
