‘Boating under the influence’: Over 350,000 boaters contacted over alcohol concerns

Law enforcement agencies from across the United States have revealed they contacted over 350,000 boaters in one weekend, as part of an ongoing campaign designed to encourage safe boating habits around alcohol.

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), in partnership with the US Coast Guard and hundreds of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, conducted the 14th annual Operation Dry Water campaign from 2-4 July, 2022.

Figures released by a NASBLA report published this week show that, over the course of the three-day weekend, 630 law enforcement agencies deployed 7,865 officers, which resulted in a total of 794 boating under the influence (BUI) arrests.

Officers also made contact with more than 350,000 boaters while patrolling the waterways, encouraging each to practice safe boating habits.

In the UK, most harbour authorities have harbour byelaws under which they can prosecute if boaters are found to be under the influence of alcohol when in charge of a vessel.

Last year, British coastguards pleaded for people not to engage in pranks for social media involving swimming and alcohol. The call came after a girl and boy were recovered from the water at Alfred Dock, Seacombe.

The US campaign seeks to increase public awareness surrounding the dangers of boating under the influence and remove impaired operators from waterways.

“The significant law enforcement presence out on the water and the increase in outreach and educational efforts around the Operation Dry Water campaign has provided a safer and more enjoyable environment for recreational boaters,” says Susan Stocker, chair of NASBLA. “Incidents and fatalities that are a result of boating under the influence are 100 per cent preventable, and we want to do everything we can to get everyone home safely after a day out on the water.”

The campaign’s targeted enforcement weekend is held annually near the 4 July holiday, a period that consistently sees a rise in alcohol- and drug-related boating incidents and fatalities in the US.

In addition to enforcement efforts on the water, NASBLA says it is also working with the states, other law enforcement agencies, boating safety organisations, and the US Coast Guard to develop and execute the Operation Dry Water marketing and outreach campaign.