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The Oklahoma Highway Patrol responded to a boat crash on July 7 at 10:30 pm on Keystone Lake in Oklahoma. The driver of the boat, who is suspected of driving while intoxicated, crashed into a retaining wall and injured himself and four girls. 

One of the children is in critical condition, and the state police did not release the condition of the other three.

Officers at the scene stated that the driver blew a .28, which is three times the legal limit.

The state police warned all boaters that alcohol can actually be even more hazardous on water than on land. They also stressed that it is very important to be extra careful on the water around major holidays, such as July 4. These weekends are thought to be among the deadliest on the water and often involve alcohol.

Our View

Laws in most states treat boating under the influence (BUI) the same as DUI. This means that you should not be driving a boat if you have a BAC of .08 or more. As drunk driving attorneys in Virginia who represent the families of innocent people killed by drunk drivers, we know that far too many drunk driving incidents occur, especially around major holidays such as the 4th of July.

Virginia has its share of lakes, rivers and of course the Atlantic Ocean along the East Coast, and we see far too many drunk driving boating incidents here. Remember, when boating, there is no roadway, no yellow lines, and no white lines. It is very important to pay attention to your surroundings; a boat can come from any direction. This is much more difficult if you have been drinking.

If you do drive a boat drunk and hurt someone, you can not only do jail time: You also can be sued in civil court for many thousands of dollars. It isn’t worth it.

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