Town of East Troy part of nationwide Operation Dry Water
As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, local law enforcement will be focusing on keeping boater’s safe by cracking down on boating under the influence. The Town of East Troy will be conducting heightened awareness and enforcement of boating under the influence laws as part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign on the waterways in the community – namely Lake Beulah and Potter Lake.
In partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the township’s Police Department is working to increase boater awareness of the hazards associated with boating under the influence, and decrease the number of accidents and deaths attributed to impaired boating and other unsafe boating practices.
From June 30 to 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,” Town of East Troy Police Chief Don Jensen said. “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.”
The Police Department offers these tips to safe on the water this summer:
- Boat sober – According to 2016 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics, 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 –83 percent of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket.
- Take a boating safety education course – 77 percent 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 Wisconsin, it is illegal to operate a vessel with a BAC level of .08 – the same as it is to operate a vehicle. No one younger than 21 is allowed to drink any alcohol. Anyone found to be impaired and operating a boat will be arrested.
Visit operationdrywater.org for more information about boating under the influence.
