Operation Dry Water results in 94 arrests during July 4 weekend
In its 15th year of participating in Operation Dry Water, this year during the July 4 holiday weekend, July 1-3, 2023, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers focused on the safety of people enjoying Florida’s waterways and arrested 94 vessel operators for boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“Tragic accidents occur when irresponsibility is present,” said Col. Brian Smith, Director of the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement. “Operating a vessel while impaired puts the vessel operator, everyone on board, and everyone around them in danger. I have no doubt that the hard work our officers and partner agencies put in over the holiday weekend saved lives.”
Operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal on all bodies of water and can lead to serious injuries and consequences. In Florida, it is illegal to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher, just as it is operating a vehicle on a roadway.
The FWC reminds boaters to designate an operator who will remain sober, to ensure the safety of everyone with and around them, and to also wear a life jacket and take a boating education course.
For more information, visit MyFWC.com/Boating and OperationDryWater.org.
To see FWC 2022 Boating Accident Statistics, visit MyFWC.com/Boating/Safety-Education/Accidents.