CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's time for summer travel and boating season on the lake. Law enforcement adds it's also the perfect time to remind drivers and boaters to think twice before getting behind the wheel impaired.
On Friday, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) hosted a kick-off of its annual campaign to help reduce alcohol-related crashes. Along with North Carolina State Highway Patrol, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, and other agencies, the goal was to educate and promote safety.
MADD National President Alex Otte shared more about the drunk driving crash she experienced at just 13 years old when a boater accused of being more than three times over the legal limit ran her over while she sat on a jet ski.
“The boat hit me going over 60 mph, threw me off the jet ski," Otte said. "I landed face down in the water. The boat went up over the jet ski and came down on top of my body before it sunk."
As a result, she experienced life-altering injuries. including a traumatic brain injury, a shattered jaw, several broken bones, and the loss of her right leg.
“Your choices have consequences, and often times those consequences are for innocent people," Otte said.
Officials saying driving under the influence whether in a car or on a boat is not only illegal, but also dangerous and in some cases deadly.
"They’re having fun, they tend not to think about being safe as well," said Maj. Ben Meyer with the NCWRC.
Maj. Meyer adds impairment on the water is also heightened considering the elements, and it's important people know their limits and have a designated driver.
“When there’s no guidance on the water - no brake lights, turn signals, or road markers - it can become a lot more difficult to operate a boat under any sort of influence," he said.
MADD is launching the "Know Before You Boat", a nationwide BUI prevention campaign to help save lives.
Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.