Drunk Boaters -- Look Out!
Boaters would face sobriety checkpoints on Texas lakes under legislation unanimously approved Thursday by the Senate. The measure by Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, would authorize law enforcement agencies that patrol public waters in Texas to set up temporary checkpoints to determine whether some boating operators are illegally intoxicated.
Sponsors of the measure, which now goes to the House, said it would keep drunk boaters off Texas lakes and reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents on the water. Law enforcement agencies have had success with land-based sobriety checkpoints - but there is no provision under current law to check out boat operators.
Boats could not be held up more than 10 minutes at any checkpoint unless there was reasonable suspicion to further detain the watercraft. In addition, a checkpoint could not operate for more than four hours and not more than twice at the same location in a seven-day period, under the legislation.