Hudson Valley On The Water: Holiday Crackdown On Drunken Boating

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — A special “Operation Dry Water” enforcement effort will take place over the Independence Day weekend in an effort to deter boating accidents involving drugs or alcohol.

Law enforcement agencies across the Hudson Valley will participate in the nationwide initiative. Police and marine units will be on heightened alert looking for those on the water violating boating under the influence (BUI) laws.

"Boating under the influence continues to be a problem on our waterways,” Village of Mamaroneck Police Department Sandra DiRuzza said. “Each year we are faced with incidents and tragedies that could have been avoided if it weren’t for the presence of drugs or alcohol. As a part of the community ourselves, we want to ensure that recreational boaters, paddlers, and anyone enjoying our waterways have a safe place to spend their time.”

The Village of Mamaroneck Police Department, in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U.S. Coast Guard, will step up patrols looking for boaters under the influence throughout the holiday weekend. According to officials, the focus, this weekend and beyond, will be on preventing incidents related to impaired boating and educating boaters about safe boating practices, including sober boating.

Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boater deaths. In New York, it is illegal to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher.
Officials hope a visible presence on the water over the Fourth of July weekend will serve as a reminder to boaters to always boat sober. In addition to staying “dry” on the water, law enforcement will be reminding boaters to wear a life jacket when on or around the water.

Operation Dry Water 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 and drug use on the water. Visit operationdrywater.org for more information.