Glossary
Boating under the influence
Operating a boat after drinking alcohol or using drugs. Alcohol is the leading known factor in U.S. boating deaths.
Boating under the influence, or BUI, means operating a boat while impaired by alcohol or drugs. It is one of the biggest causes of boating deaths. In 2024, alcohol use was the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating incidents in the U.S.; where the primary cause was known, it was the leading factor in 20% of deaths, according to the U.S. Coast Guard (opens in a new tab).
Alcohol makes every part of a boat trip more dangerous. The CDC (opens in a new tab) says that among teens and adults, alcohol is involved in up to 70% of deaths linked to water recreation, and in about 1 in 5 reported boating deaths. It also puts passengers at risk, and a fall overboard is harder to survive after drinking.
What helps:
- keep the operator completely sober;
- skip alcohol for everyone on small boats, kayaks and paddleboards;
- everyone wears a life jacket;
- the Minnesota DNR (opens in a new tab) says not to paddle under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
See boating under the influence and alcohol and swimming.
What you can do today: before your next trip, agree on who will operate the boat and that they won't drink.