Blood alcohol level drops

Nevada game wardens, who enforce boating laws, will immediately begin enforcing the lower limits.

Many boaters don't realize that alcohol has an elevated impact on boaters.

Waves, wind and sun, all have an amplifying impact that can triple the effect that one drink has on the body.

"Some people still don't realize that boating while intoxicated is a crime, very similar to a DUI," said Fred Messmann, Nevada boating law administrator. "It is not only unsafe, but also illegal, to operate a boat while impaired"

The legal blood alcohol limit was recently dropped by the Nevada State Legislature, which aligns the State of Nevada with blood alcohol limits in most other states.

Although Nevada is nearing the end of the boating, game wardens will still be having periodic check points at some Nevada lakes checking for operating under the influence.

NDOW reminds boaters to be aware of the new limits and to be careful.

"The operating under the influence law is in place for a reason," said Messmann. "Exactly half of Nevada's boating fatalities in 2002 were alcohol related, and mixing boating and alcohol is a recipe for a disaster."