If you have been injured in a boating accident in the Lawrenceville area and someone else is to blame, you could be entitled to compensation. At Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, we can help you hold negligent parties accountable and demand the money and justice you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced Lawrenceville boat accident lawyer and find out what we can do for you.
Boating is a popular recreational activity in Georgia, a state where there are more than 300,000 registered boats and personal watercraft. Unfortunately, boating is not without its risks. In a recent year, 114 boating accidents were reported statewide, resulting in 67 injuries, 69 drownings, and 14 fatalities.
Overview of Georgia Boating Laws
Georgia has a wide variety of boating rules and regulations you should know about before you get out on the water. Here is an overview of some of the most important ones:
- Boater age restrictions – Anyone aged 15 or under cannot operate a marine vessel more than 16 feet long. Children under 12 may operate smaller vessels when accompanied by a competent adult. Children aged 12 to 15 can operate vessels less than 16 feet long if they have passed a boater education course or are accompanied by a competent adult. Those aged 16 and older may operate any vessel as long as they have passed boater education courses and keep proper identification onboard.
- Registration requirements – Georgia boat owners must register all vessels with the state. The exceptions are sailboats less than 12 feet long, canoes and other small vessels with no mechanical propulsion, and vessels operated exclusively in private bodies of water. Boaters must carry boat registration cards and validation decals at all times to operate legally in public waters.
- Personal flotation devices – Georgia law requires all vessels to be equipped with personal flotation devices (PFDs) in good condition for each person aboard.
- Boating under the influence – Boaters cannot operate any marine vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Those under 21 are considered under the influence if their blood alcohol level is 0.02 percent or more. Those 21 and older are under the influence with blood alcohol levels of 0.08 percent or more or if they test positive for drugs.
- Boating “rules of the road” – Boat operators must slow to idling speed any time their vessel comes within 100 feet of another vessel, dock, pier, bridge, shoreline, or person in the water. Boaters are also expected to pass oncoming vessels on the right and keep to the right-hand side in narrow spaces, just as they would when driving a car.
