MADISON, WI (WTAQ) — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources advises boaters that they will see more DNR conservation wardens and area law enforcement on the water July 1-3 as part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign.
Wardens and other participating law enforcement agencies will be educating boaters about safe boating practices across the country, which includes sober boating.
Operation Dry Water is a year-round boating-under-the-influence-awareness-and-enforcement campaign with the purpose of reducing the number of alcohol and drug related incidents and fatalities through increased recreational boater awareness and by fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water.
Alcohol use is a leading factor in recreational boating fatalities, and nearly 80% of fatal boating incidents involve drowning.
Since Operation Dry Water started in 2009, law enforcement officers across the nation have taken law enforcement action against 4,700 impaired operators, preventing dangerous and potentially devastating consequences.
If alcohol is involved in your day of boating, have a designated operator.
Lt. Darren Kuhn, DNR Boating Law Administrator, says operating a boat already presents unique safety challenges compared to driving an automobile.
“In a car, they know where the breaks are; boats don’t have breaks. They know where the seatbelts are; boats don’t have seatbelts,” said Kuhn. “There’s no airbags, there’s no safety features that are in modern-day automobiles on a boat.”
Operating a vessel while impaired is illegal on all bodies of water and can lead to serious injuries, death and legal consequences. In Wisconsin, it is illegal to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher.
Boaters can learn more about boating under the influence by visiting operationdrywater.org.
Operation Dry Water is coordinated nationally by the National Association of State Boating Law.
