For nearly 30 years, John Gano, a Carmel native has worked for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as a conservation officer. Photo courtesy of Indiana News Service.

By Joe Ulery
Indiana News Service

INDIANA — Boating season in Indiana is heating up with the summer temperatures, and while Hoosiers flock to the docks to relax and cool off, it is also a good time to remember that mixing alcohol and boating can be a bad idea. About a third of boating accidents on Indiana lakes are caused by someone who had too much to drink. It is a statistic John Gano easily rattles off from memory. For nearly 30 years, the Carmel native has worked for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as a conservation officer. If you’re 21, you can kick back on a boat and drift away to Margaritaville. But if you are caught driving the boat drunk, Gano said your day on the lake is over.

“If you’re given a chemical test and the result of chemical test is over .08 blood alcohol level – that is a separate violation than the operating while impaired, and they get charged with two misdemeanors,” he said. “We do jail everybody for that.”

According to the United States Coast Guard, alcohol continued to be the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in 2022.

Gano said Indiana law is clear about alcohol on boats – and it is different from that regarding cars.

“There’s never been an open container law in Indiana since I’ve been an officer in 28 years and a lot of people ask why that is when it’s not allowed on the highway. But if you think about boating, it’s a recreational activity, people are recreating on their time off, trying to have a good time when they’re out in the boat,” he said.

Gano advised people plan ahead and have a designated driver for their boat. Your choice to be responsible could mean the difference between a fun day on the lake and a very bad one.