Alcohol is a leading contributing factor in roughly a third of all fatal boat accidents, according to the CDC. Operating a boat while under the influence of prescription or recreational drugs is also dangerous, even if the drugs are legally prescribed. Both drugs and alcohol impair a driver’s coordination, balance, depth perception, reaction time, vision and judgment, whether the driver is operating a motor vehicle or a boat. In fact, sun and heat exposure during boating excursions can further compound the effects of alcohol or drug use.