SOCIAL CIRCLE — State officials say boating-under-the-influence arrests are up in Georgia so far this year, compared to a year ago.
They released that information as they kicked off a nationally coordinated effort dubbed Operation Dry Water that Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division will be participating in today through Sunday on waterways across the state.
Operation Dry Water is a multi-agency, education and enforcement initiative which includes, in addition to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, thousands of other law enforcement agencies across the nation, who will be focusing on reducing the number of accidents and fatalities related to boating under the influence (BUI). The mission of Operation Dry Water is also to bring awareness and education to recreational boaters about the dangers of alcohol and drug use on the water.
"A fun day with family and friends on the boat can turn into a tragic day when someone chooses to drive the boat while intoxicated,” said Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division Assistant Director Lt. Col. Jeff Weaver. “We want everyone to enjoy the day and to go home safely and the best way to do that is to stay alert, follow the rules and boat sober.”
Despite the fact that it is against the law nationwide for a person to operate a recreational vessel with an unlawful blood alcohol concentration (.08 or higher in Georgia), BUI continues to be a problem across the U.S. In 2014, alcohol use was a factor in nearly one-fourth (21%) of boating deaths nationwide.
Conservation Rangers have made 90 arrests for over-the-limit boaters so far this year on state waterways in Georgia. Going into Operation Dry water weekend last year there had only been 69 BUI arrests year-to-date. Only one month into the three-month boating season and BUIs are already nearly half of the 183 recorded in all of 2014, a trend Rangers want to change.
"Our goal is to keep the public safe and our officers will be out this weekend, and throughout the summer, looking for boaters under the influence. However, our preference is that they stay sober while boating or designate a non-drinking operator,” said Weaver.
Operation Dry Water was launched by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in 2009 in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and puts thousands of local, state and federal marine law enforcement officers on the water just before the Fourth of July to give BUI enforcement high visibility before a holiday known for drinking and boating. Georgia DNR Law Enforcement has participated in the program since its inception.
For more information, visit www.operationdrywater.org.
For more information about boating in Georgia, visit http://www.gadnrle.org/ and click on the “Boating” tab.
