Operation Dry Water (ODW) is proud to join boating safety advocates nationwide as part of National Safe Boating Week, May 18 - 24, to remind boat operators and passengers of the dangers associated with boating under the influence (BUI).
LEXINGTON, Kan., May 21, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As part of National Safe Boating Week, running from May 18 - 24, 2024, Operation Dry Water (ODW) is reminding boat operators and passengers of the dangers associated with boating under the influence (BUI). Taking place just before Memorial Day weekend, National Safe Boating Week serves as a key reminder for boaters to implement safe practices on the water.
"National Safe Boating Week is an excellent opportunity for us to come together as a boating community and emphasize the importance of safe boating," said Curt Lewis, NASBLA Chair. "By staying sober, always wearing a life jacket, and completing a boating safety course before heading out, boaters can significantly improve their safety on the water. Recognizing that impaired boating is as dangerous as impaired driving is vital. Together, we can prevent incidents and save lives."
Operation Dry Water continues its dedicated efforts to combat boating under the influence by raising awareness and supporting the enforcement of BUI laws. Impaired boating remains a serious concern as alcohol and drugs can severely impair a boater's judgment, reaction time, and ability to operate a vessel safely. Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boating fatalities.*
To address this issue, Operation Dry Water will conduct its 16th annual heightened awareness and enforcement weekend from July 4 - 6, 2024. During this time, law enforcement agencies across the nation will increase their presence on the water to deter impaired boating and ensure the safety of all boaters. Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are encouraged to register and participate at operationdrywater.org.
Operation Dry Water provides a variety of free resources for both law enforcement and outreach partners to use in educating boaters about the dangers of boating under the influence. By working together with boating safety advocates nationwide, Operation Dry Water aims to reduce incidents and fatalities related to impaired boating.
The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) coordinates the Operation Dry Water campaign, in partnership with law enforcement agencies and outreach partners nationwide, through a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund administered by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Operation Dry Water (ODW) is a year-round boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign with the mission of reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related incidents and fatalities through increased recreational boater awareness and by fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol use on the water.
*2022 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics.
Media Contact
Taylor Kirshe, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, 859.225.7376, [email protected], https://www.nasbla.org/home
SOURCE National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
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