Law enforcement will be focused on educating boaters about safe boating practices, which includes boating sober, and enforcing the state’s boating under the influence laws.
                                  
With the summer boating season underway, and the July 4th holiday approaching, Connecticut EnCon Police reminds boaters that impaired boating is against the law.  Operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal on all bodies of water and can lead to serious injuries and consequences. In Connecticut it is illegal to operate a vessel with a BAC level of .08 or higher - the same as it is to operate a vehicle.

“The accidents and tragedies that happen because individuals chose to drive drunk or impaired, on land or on the water, are preventable. The decision lies with the individual on whether they chose to operate a boat or vehicle while under the influence,” said Mike Lambert, DEEP Bureau Chief for Outdoor Recreation.  “It is our job to do all we can to ensure the safety of our recreational boaters and paddlers. That is why the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police is joining other states and agencies across the country to do our part in keeping boaters safe and preventing accidents related to boating under the influence.”

Alcohol is the leading contributing factor in recreational boating deaths, and a major contributor to accidents*. EnCon Police and the DEEP Boating Division encourage boaters to enjoy the boating season to its full extent by boating sober, wearing a life jacket, and taking a boating education course.

The national Operation Dry Water weekend will take place June 29 - July 1.  The mission of Operation Dry Water is to reduce 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.

Visit operationdrywater.org or ct.gov/deep for more information about boating under the influence.

*2017 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics.