DWI / Driver's License Suspension

[virginia boy]

A friend of mine is about to lose his license due to a DWI/DUI and I was wondering if that would affect his Boat insurance or hamper his ability to stay in marinas or have any other adverse effects on his boating life?

[delmarrey]

Insurance companies do share info about clients.

We'll see.

[Mark1977]

He won't be able to operate his boat either.

[daddle]

"A friend of mine..."

Originally Posted by Mark1977

He won't be able to operate his boat either

Really? A drivers license is required to sail a boat? That's a sad state of affairs.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by Mark1977

He won't be able to operate his boat either.

I cannot beleave this, but I cannot dispute it ..

[virginia boy]

Originally Posted by Mark1977

He won't be able to operate his boat either.

I see that your from Canada but this guy is from USA and doesn't require a license to sail his boat. Even though I've heard, that in some places if one was driving a boat drunk that one could lose a land drivers license. I wonder if the reverse is true?

[Mark1977]

Well..... I know in Canada when you loose your license for DUI you are not able to operate ANY vessel, car, boat, off road vehicle....etc nothing at all. I know this because "a Friend" o.k me .... has gone threw it.

[Aussiesuede]

BUI Penalties vary by state:

Penalties for BUI conviction can result in fines from $250 to $5,000 and/or imprisonment for three months.
You can also lose your boating privileges for up to a year.
In some states, motor vehicle driver's licenses are revoked upon conviction of BUI offenses. In New Jersey, for example, a BUI conviction will result in the loss of your motor vehicle driver's license for at least 90 days.

State Boating Laws

[wingontherock]

Absolutely no sympathy here for DWIs... far too many
innocents hurt or killed by them...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by virginia boy

A friend of mine is about to lose his license due to a DWI/DUI and I was wondering if that would affect his Boat insurance or hamper his ability to stay in marinas or have any other adverse effects on his boating life?

Yes. It will make it difficult for him to (legally) drive from the bar to his boat.

[Mark1977]

Originally Posted by wingontherock

Absolutely no sympathy here for DWIs... far too many
innocents hurt or killed by them...

Don't think anyone is looking for sympathy........... just facts...

[Southern Star]

VB, your friend should consult with an attorney in the state in which he resides. Furthermore, Mark you may also wish to consult a criminal lawyer in Nova Scotia. I cannot give legal advice, but section 259 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which governs the mandatory prohibition orders (as opposed to provincial driver's license suspensions), provides that where offenders are convicted of various offences, including operation or having the care/control while impaired of "a motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft or of railway equipment, or assisting in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment, the court that sentences the offender shall, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place, or from operating a vessel or an aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be." Note the use of the word 'or', and the words 'as the case may be'.

The provinces can (and various, if not all, do) suspend the motor vehicle drivers license of someone who is convicted of impaired boating (driving a motor vehicle in Canada has been determined to be a privilege and not a right and, the provinces have maintained that someone who would operate a vessel while impaired, is apt to do the same in a motor vehicle); however, boating licenses in Canada are federal and the federal prohibition under section 259 would only appear to prohibit someone from operating a vessel if they were convicted of an offence in relation to a vessel and not a motor vehicle (or aircraft, etc. as the case may be).

Anyway, this is not the site to be obtaining cross-jurisdictional legal advice on something so serious.

Brad

[Captain Bill]

With respect to insurance what you do in a car does affect your boat insurance costs. I had a small accident in my car several years ago. My car insurance went up 10% for 3 years, my boat insurance went up 33%.

[gonesail]

I don't see how they can trace a drivers license number to a boat insurance policy unless you also have auto insurance with the same company. since when are they related anyway? i wouldn't know for sure but i doubt his ability or right to operate a boat will be affected in the US (unless he was charged with operating a boat under the influence).

[Captain Bill]

My insurance was with different companies. I clearly remember having to supply my drivers license number to the boat insurance company when I applied for the insurance so I suppose they checked when it was time to renew.