ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — If you plan on hitting the water this 4th of July weekend, be prepared to see an increased presence from the Erie County Sheriff's office.
Sheriff John C. Garcia announced Friday that the Marine Unit office is participating in Operation Dry Water. From July 1-3. there will be enhanced BWI patrols on the area’s waterways.
It's part of a national effort to teach boaters about the dangers of boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“Our Marine Unit’s goal is to educate boaters about the laws regarding boating under the influence and to help boaters understand the danger of boating impaired,” Sheriff Garcia said. “However, if my Marine Deputies encounter an impaired vessel operator, that individual will be arrested.”
If you are convicted of a BWI in New York, you will lose your ability to operate and register a vessel. If there is a passenger 15 years or younger, the individual will face felony charges.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard numbers, alcohol use was a factor in approximately 17% of all boating fatalities in 2022.
Sheriff Garcia is also urging everyone to wear life jackets, saying, "When it comes to boating deaths, 80% of those victims drowned, and 83% of those victims were not wearing a life vest. These deaths are preventable.”
