|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Alex Murphy, DNR Director of Communications, (515) 729-7533 or alex.murphy@dnr.iowa.gov.
DES MOINES, Iowa -- As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, the Iowa DNR law
enforcement officers will be focusing on keeping boaters safe by cracking down
on boating under the influence. The DNR will be conducting heightened awareness
and enforcement of boating under the influence laws as part of the national Operation
Dry Water campaign
in hopes to decrease the number of crashes and deaths.
From June 30 - July 2, law enforcement nationwide will be looking
for impaired boaters as part of Operation
Dry Water weekend. Boaters will notice an increase in the numbers of
officers on the water and at recreational boating checkpoints. This effort will
result in the removal of impaired operators, providing a safe and enjoyable
experience for boaters this boating season.
"As a part of the community ourselves, we want to ensure that
recreational boaters, paddlers, and anyone enjoying our waters have a safe
place to spend their time on the water, " says Jeff Swearngin, DNR’s law
enforcement bureau chief. “Alcohol impairs judgment and reaction
time on the water just as is does when driving a car, even more so because of
the added stressors of sun, heat, wind, and noise on a boat. Choosing to
consume alcohol while boating puts everyone at risk, including passengers and
people in the water. Our goal is to remove anyone choosing to operate a vessel
impaired and to keep everyone else safe.”
Tips to staying
safe on the water this summer:
-
Boat sober. Alcohol use is the leading
contributing factor in recreational boater deaths*. Alcohol and drugs use
impairs a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time.
-
Wear your life jacket. 85% of drowning victims were not
wearing a life jacket*.
-
Take a boating safety
education course.
71% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator did not receive boating
safety instruction, where instruction was known*.
Operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is
illegal on all bodies of water and can lead to serious injuries and
consequences. In Iowa, it is illegal to operate
a vessel with a BAC level of .08 or higher - the same
as it is to operate a vehicle. If you are found to be impaired and
operating a boat you will be arrested.
BY THE NUMBERS…in 2016:
- The Iowa DNR law enforcement made 46
Boating While Intoxicated arrests.
- 33% of boating fatalities in Iowa involved
alcohol (2 of the 6 fatalities)
- During Operation Dry Water 2016, 102 Iowa
DNR law enforcement officers spent 98 hours making contact with 776 vessels,
interacting with 2,201 boaters, arresting 10 people for Boating While
Intoxicated, and issued 227 citations/warnings.
Visit operationdrywater.org or http://www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Boating for more
information about boating under the influence.
*2015
U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics.
Please see this link to find a DNR Conservation Officer
near you to participate in a ride-along on the water.
|
