Staying Sober for July 4thCan Save Lives on Land and in the Water
The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA)is bringing heightened awareness to their Operation Dry Water as the July 4thholiday approaches. 2020 Operation Dry Water highlights the concerted effort by law enforcement across the country to stop people from boating under the influence. July 4this one of the most popular holidays for water activities. Whether a person wants to go boating or rent a jet ski, they should never operate a water vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
While Operation Drug Water is a year-long effort, there will be heightened awareness and enforcement during the upcoming three-day weekend July 3-5, 2020. According to NASBLA, “Alcohol is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents.” Boating under the influence is a serious offense that could lead to your boat being impounded and the arrest of the operator. NASBLA hopes that increased awareness of the dangers of boating under the influence and the increased presence of law enforcement will reduce the number of people that choose to drink and drive.
According to their website, the number of participating law enforcement agencies has increased significantly in the past year. In 2018 there were 574 agencies with 7,418 officers participating in the campaign. They issued 7,305 citations and 494 arrests for boating under the influence (BUI). In 2019, the number of agencies increased to 736 with 7.696 officers participating. They issued over 9,500 citations with 563 total BUIs.