MDWFP to Increase Boating Enforcement Over the Weekend
6/28/2018 8:07:01 AM
From MDWFP
Beginning Friday, June 29 the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) will be participating in Operation Dry Water as part of a nationally coordinated effort to increase knowledge about the dangers of boating under the influence (BUI). The goal is to reduce the number of accidents and deaths associated with alcohol and drug use on our waterways.
Operation Dry Water weekend is the national weekend of amplified enforcement of boating under the influence laws and recreational boater outreach. The MDWFP is reaching out to our community and to the entire recreational boating community as part of the yearlong Operation Dry Water campaign to inform and educate boaters about the hazards and negative outcomes associated with boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
As Operation Dry Water weekend and the July 4th holiday approaches, law enforcement and recreational boating safety volunteers will be out on the water educating boaters about safe boating practices and removing impaired operators from the water. The MDWFP supports these efforts as they go a long way in ensuring the safety of recreational boaters and water sport enthusiasts.
Tips to staying safe on the water:
- 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. 83% of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket.
- Take a boating safety education course. 77% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator did not receive boating safety instruction, where instruction was known.
