Water Safety

Surfing under the influence would result in heavy penalty

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 July, 2009 : - - Surfers and canoeists could face jail and fines up to £50,000 if they are caught causing accidents at sea under Department for Transport proposals. Unpowered craft would be subject to the same rules as cruise liners and oil tankers as part of plans to bring them under the Merchant Shipping Act.

The change was proposed after a loophole in the law allowed a jet skier to avoid jail.  However, surfing organisations said the rules would be hard to enforce. The proposal comes after Mark Goodwin, from Dorset, was jailed for six months after a jet ski accident which left another man with severe head injuries.

The sentence was overturned after a judge ruled that jet skis were not technically ships as they were not used for navigation.

'Appropriate measures': The latest proposals would affect body boards, boogie boards, canoes, kite-surfing and windsurfing boards as well as dinghies.  The Department for Transport (DfT) says the proposals mean they could take action against all owners and users of watercraft who carry out "reckless or dangerous activity on the water."
 
It would mean surfers and canoeists could be prosecuted for going into the water while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. Gus Lewis, legal manager at the Royal Yachting Association, said the new rules were needed to bring Britain in line with an international convention to prevent collisions at sea. It would mean that all sea craft played by the same rules, he added.

Click here to read the full article

What's your take on this?
Post your thoughts: SV Forum

New Survey: Map Surfing’s future 

More Australasian Surfing News available here
Check the latest Australasian Surf Reports and Forecasts

New! B2B News ASBE-Surf   |  Receive News-Alerts

Source : BBC

Safety - Surfersvillage

Preview random pages
Purchase digital &/or print version