Which of the following best describes how alcohol affects you when you are operating a boat?

• A. Alcohol has no effect on your boating abilities as long as you are experienced.
• B. Alcohol impairs judgment, coordination, and reaction time, increasing the risk of accidents while boating.
• C. Alcohol only affects you if you are operating a boat at high speeds.
• D. Alcohol improves your ability to concentrate and makes you a safer boat operator.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which means it slows down brain function and impairs cognitive and motor skills.
2. Recognize that operating a boat requires good judgment, coordination, and quick reaction times to respond to changing conditions and avoid accidents.
3. Know that alcohol consumption negatively affects these abilities by impairing judgment, reducing coordination, and slowing reaction time.
4. Consider that these impairments increase the risk of accidents regardless of the operator's experience or the speed at which the boat is traveling.
5. Conclude that the best description of alcohol's effect on boating is that it impairs judgment, coordination, and reaction time, thereby increasing the risk of accidents.