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| Operation Dry Water to take place June 26-28. |
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| Marine law enforcement cracking down on alcohol use while operating a boat |
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Salem -- Recreational boaters may want to think twice before reaching for that cold beer this weekend. Marine law enforcement officers, as part of a national coordinated effort of stepped-up enforcement known as Operation Dry Water, will be out in force looking for boat operators who are drinking and boating. Operation Dry Water will include increased patrols, breath testing, and checkpoints, as well as educating boaters about the importance of boating sober.
"We want people to be safe and have fun while recreational boating," says Dale Flowers, Law Enforcement Coordinator for the Marine Board. "But alcohol use has become the leading contributing factor in fatal recreational boating accidents. We recommend that boaters avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at all times, or at least have a designated driver. In Oregon, .08 percent is the legal threshold, but boaters can still be impaired at lower blood alcohol levels and arrested for blowing below .08 percent. It's all about impairment and keeping the waterways safe for everyone to enjoy," Flowers adds.
Alcohol impairs a boater's judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time. It also increases fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion. Sun, wind, noise, vibration, and motion -- "stressors" common to the boating environment -- intensify the effects of alcohol, drugs, and some prescription medications. United States Coast Guard statistics reveal in 2007 that nearly 21 percent of all boating fatalities were a result of alcohol use.
Impaired boaters caught this weekend can expect penalties to be severe. In Oregon, boaters arrested for boating under the influence of intoxicants (BUII) can face up to one year in jail, $6,250 in fines, and loss of boating privileges. A conviction of BUII also works in concert with DUII, and three convictions of either offense become a felony crime.
"There will be arrests this weekend, and some boaters will face the consequences of BUII," added Flowers. "But we'd much rather arrest someone than to have to tell their friends and family they're never coming back."
Operation Dry Water is a joint program of the Oregon State Marine Board, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), the U.S. Coast Guard, and local county marine patrols. More information is available at www.operationdrywater.org. and www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/BoatLaws/OperationDryWater.shtml.
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