Recreational boating fatalities last year jumped to their highest levels since 1998 and boating under the influence (BUI) was the leading contributing factor, according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s report, 2011 Recreational Boating Statistics. The report comes just weeks before Silver Lake Police Department Water Patrol Officers participate in the Operation Dry Water 2012, an annual nationwide campaign focused on enforcement of BUI laws and educating all boaters to the risks of operating a boat under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Officers will be out in force June 22-24 looking for boaters whose blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeds the state limit of .08 %. Operation Dry Water will include increased patrols as well as boater education. Impaired boaters can expect penalties to be severe. In Wisconsin the consequences for BUI include fines, jail and loss of boating or even driving privileges.
“We intend to arrest intoxicated boaters and to reach out to as many people as possible about the hazards of boating under the influence,†said Silver Lake Water Patrol Supervisor John Kosterman, the SLPD spokesperson for Operation Dry Water.
BUI continues to be a major problem in the U.S. A boat operator or even passengers with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit run a significantly increased risk of being involved in a fatal boating accident. Alcohol was a contributing factor in just 6 percent of boating accidents overall, but figured in 16 percent of boating fatalities in the U.S. last year. When impaired by alcohol, boating accidents are more probable and more deadly for both passengers and boat operators, many of whom capsize their vessel or simply fall overboard. Operation Dry Water (ODW), a multi-agency education and enforcement initiative launched by NASBLA in 2009 in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, puts thousands of local, state and federal marine law enforcement officers on the water nationwide prior to the July 4th holiday to give BUI enforcement high visibility during the peak boating season.
“There will be arrests this weekend, and some boaters will face the consequences of boating under the influence,” says Water Patrol Supervisor John Kosterman. “Boating is a safe and enjoyable pastime when people stay alert and follow the rules. We want boaters to understand the added risks associated with BUI and to avoid drinking and boating.â€
Operation Dry Water 2012 is a joint program of the Silver Lake Police Department, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Natural Resources. For more information, visit www.operationdrywater.org
I will most definitely let every one I know to not go near that lake this whole year
that is nothing but a huge joke and a great scamming money maker for silver lake
why cant they let the real cops “dnr” do that job
I mean is this even legal?? silver lake doesn’t own the lake
and if it is somehow legal is that lake even all on silver lake isn’t it part of Salem
not to mention neither one of those towns own a lake
silver lake your harassing honest people who pay very large property taxes to own land on that lake
your reputation is that of cape fear
now wonder there isn’t a legit business that can make it in the township of silver lake
so the only revenue is to trump up fines
lay off and let the town grow with respectable businesses
So now the good ol’ boys down at the SLPD have (as if needed) more reason to harass everybody they come in contact with.
Wonderful.