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The Fourth of July is a time of celebration for many people – and a lot of those celebrations include alcohol. Enjoy yourself over the holiday, but please do so responsibly. Driving or boating while impaired can lead to devastating consequences and are not worth the risks they present.

Over the 2006 Fourth of July weekend, there were 238 alcohol-related car accidents in Pennsylvania. Nationwide, there were 659 traffic-related fatalities during the Fourth of July weekend, and 37% of them involved alcohol. Drinking and driving is not worth the price that you may pay if you are involved in an accident – injury, death, or jail time are serious consequences that have life-changing effects.

While most people are aware of the dangers involved with drinking and driving, many do not consider the risks of drinking and boating. In Pittsburgh, we welcome the Three Rivers Regatta over the Fourth of July, and hundreds of people take to the water in their boats. Indeed, the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers welcome boaters throughout the summer, and boating accidents are a real risk.

It is illegal to operate a watercraft on all the waters in Pennsylvania while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. Even with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.01%, the risk of death in a boating accident increases by 30% for operators and passengers alike. With a BAC of 0.25%, the risk increases 52 times. Passengers are just as likely as operators to die as a result of boating while intoxicated because most boating fatalities involve falling overboard and drowning, not collisions. In fact, 80% of boating deaths are the result of drowning.

Please do not drink and drive or get on a boat while intoxicated this holiday. Be safe while you have fun this Fourth of July.