Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Rangers will participate in Operation Dry Water June 24-26 looking for boaters whose blood alcohol content exceeds the state limit of .10 percent.
Operation Dry Water will include concentrated patrols in certain areas and checkpoints around the lakes and rivers to catch drunken boaters. In Georgia, penalties can include jail time along with high fines and the loss of your privilege to operate any vessel in the state of Georgia.
“We will be doing concentrated safety patrols and checks while trying to educate as many boaters as possible about the hazards of Boating Under the Influence (BUI),” says Capt. Mike England.
A boat operator or passenger with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit runs a significantly increased risk of being involved in a boating accident. When impaired by alcohol, boating accidents are more likely to happen and more deadly for both passengers and boat operators, many of whom capsize their vessel or simply fall overboard.
BUI is a primary contributing factor in nearly 1 in 5 boating fatalities nationwide and Georgia has gotten tougher in recent years in enforcing laws against this high-risk behavior. Boaters found operating a recreational vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of .10 percent or higher will find their voyage terminated and may have their vessel impounded.
"There will be arrests this weekend, and some boaters will face the consequences of boating under the influence," England says. "We want recreational boaters to enjoy themselves, but there will be zero tolerance for BUI.”
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