Overview
- Law enforcement agencies have increased visible on-water patrols and sobriety checks over the holiday weekend as part of the nationwide Operation Dry Water campaign.
- Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is putting every available game warden on the water for the enforcement window to spot impaired operators, conduct safety checks, and educate boaters.
- Oakland County and Metro Detroit Coast Guard units are deploying marine units, dive teams, specialized rescue craft, and sonar to cover hundreds of lakes and tens of thousands of registered boats.
- Officials warn alcohol is a leading factor in fatal boating incidents and stress life-jacket use after noting that roughly 87% of recreational boating drowning victims were not wearing life jackets.
- Operation Dry Water began in 2009 and pairs stepped-up enforcement with outreach; since its launch law enforcement says thousands of impaired operators have been removed from U.S. waterways.