Lawmakers and marine patrols are pushing for more safety regulations on Georgia’s waterways. The recent deaths on Lake Lanier are galvanizing an effort to require Georgia boaters to be licensed.

Five people have already died on Lake Lanier this season, victims of boating accidents. Governor Deal and House Speaker David Ralston announced Wednesday they plan to introduce a bill lowering the blood alcohol limit for boaters from .1 to .08.

But some marine experts say that may not be enough. Captain Harry Chapman of the Hall County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit says Georgia boaters need to be educated and licensed.

We’ve experienced too many boaters on the Lake that just simply don’t know the rules of navigation, don’t know their way around the lake. The main benefit of the licensing would be to get them to take a test that would make them safer on the lake.

Two boys died when a fishing boat collided with a pontoon last month. The fishing boat operator was arrested for driving under the influence. Two more children were badly hurt last week when a personal watercraft struck the inner-tube they were riding.

Tags: boating license, water safety