Missouri boating while intoxicated (BWI) standard drops to 0.08 percent

Jefferson City, MO

Gov. Matt Blunt has approved tougher rules for boating while intoxicated, making the threshold for drunken boating on lakes and major rivers the same as for motorists.

The governor signed legislation that lowers the legal blood-alcohol limit to 0.08 percent, which has been the limit for roadways since 2001. Blunt signed the bill at the Lake of the Ozarks, a popular vacation destination that's become known for large boats and a raunchy "Party Cove."

But Independence Day revealers from across the Midwest who flock to the lake won't have to worry about drinking less until next year. That's because the lower legal blood-alcohol limit won't take effect until Aug. 28 when the summer boating season is almost over.

In a written statement, Blunt said the same standard should apply for motorists and boaters.

Water Patrol spokesman Sgt. Jerry Callahan said that, except for coordinated drunken boating checkpoints, police generally identify drunken boaters after stopping them for another violation.

Callahan said the lower blood-alcohol threshold would give officers more time after identifying a drunken boater, which is important in those types of cases.

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