The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and hundreds of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, conducted the fourteenth annual Operation Dry Water campaign July 2 – 4, 2022.
LEXINGTON, Ky., Oct. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Law enforcement agencies from across the country join forces to increase public awareness surrounding the dangers of boating under the influence and remove impaired operators from our nation's waterways as part of the annual 'Operation Dry Water' campaign. 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.
"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 the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. "Incidents and fatalities that are a result of boating under the influence are 100% 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 July 4th, a holiday that consistently sees a rise in alcohol- and drug- related boating incidents and fatalities. The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and hundreds of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, conducted the fourteenth annual Operation Dry Water campaign July 2 – 4, 2022.
In addition to enforcement efforts on the water, NASBLA also worked diligently with the states, other law enforcement agencies, boating safety organizations, and the U.S. Coast Guard to develop and execute the Operation Dry Water marketing and outreach campaign. More information, including education and outreach materials, can be found at http://www.operationdrywater.org.
###
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 accidents and fatalities through increased recreational boater awareness and by fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol use on the water. http://www.operationdrywater.org.
Media Contact
Taylor Matsko, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, 859.225.9487, [email protected]
SOURCE National Association of State Boating Law Administrators
Share this article