Heading To The Lake? Watch For Increased Water Patrols

This weekend CP&W is ramping up BUI enforcement

Heading to a Colorado State Park for a little summer boat trip? Don't drink and drive your boat. Colorado Parks and Wildlife are participating in national Operation Dry Water throughout the weekend. Just in time for the 4th of July, there will be increased law enforcement on the state's waterways.

Some may not be aware that there's such a thing as driving your boat while intoxicated. It's not any different than behind the wheel of your car. Boaters with a blood alcohol level of.08 or above should expect to be arrested for BUI (Boating Under The Influence). You could be fined, have your boat impounded, serve time, or lose your boating privileges. Operation Dry Water patrols will on the water with the breathalyzer test machines and checkpoints. This weekends operation is designed to educate boaters of the risks and hopefully, reduce the number of boating accidents due to alcohol.

If you 're at the lake and see someone operating their boat in an unsafe manner you are asked to report it. "If you see someone drinking and boating or being dangerous on their watercraft, please let us know," says Grant Brown, Colorado's Boating Safety Program Manager. "It is no different than calling 911 to report a drunk driver on the road to keep your family and community safe. Don't let someone else's bad decision impact the safety of everyone else on the water."

Don't let a BUI, or worse, a boating accident ruin your holiday weekend. Never operate a boat under the influence. As a boat owner myself, I can tell you first hand that operating a boat safely on the water is challenging enough. Don't risk injury to yourself or anyone else by drinking and boating. It can be deadly.

Credit: Journal-Advocate