MAY 12, 2021: More than 600 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies participated in the
2020
Operation Dry Water (ODW) campaign. Over the course of the campaign’s heightened awareness and enforcement weekend, July 3 – 5, more than 7,600 law enforcement officers made 625 arrests for boating under the influence (BUI). Officers were on patrol as part of the Operation Dry Water initiative, identifying impaired boaters and removing them from the water.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, officers were able to take advantage of the increase in boater participation by making a record number of contacts with boaters. Officers made contact with over 305,000 boaters while patrolling our nation’s waterways, providing an opportunity for officers to educate boaters and help raise awareness about the dangers related to boating under the influence.
The
National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) recently published the
2020 Operation Dry Water Annual Report. This report includes more details on the enforcement results, an overview of the campaign’s media exposure and highlights from the 2020 weekend. The annual report also features the campaign’s awareness and outreach efforts as well as the 2020 Operation Dry Water awards recipients.
Operation Dry Water is a year-round boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign. The annual three-day weekend takes place around July fourth, a holiday unfortunately known for drinking and boating, and deadly incidents. Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boater deaths, and a leading factor in recreational boating accidents.
1 Operation Dry Water serves as a reminder to boaters that boating while impaired from the use of alcohol or drugs is extremely dangerous. Boating under the influence is illegal in all states and BUI laws are strictly enforced on our nation’s waterways.
The 2021 Operation Dry Water heightened awareness and enforcement weekend will take place nationwide, July 2 – 4, 2021.
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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.
12019 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating StatisticsClick here to view the official press release.
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