IDNR Conservation Police participating in Operation Dry Water enforcement efforts to educate boaters on the dangers of boating under the influence

SPRINGFIELD – As part of a nationally coordinated effort to educate boaters about the dangers of boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Conservation Police are participating in the annual Operation Dry Water campaign during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The mission of Operation Dry Water is to reduce the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities on the water.

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“Recreational boating and paddlesports activities are enjoyed by individuals and families across the country. To ensure that everyone is safe out on the water, we have partnered with Operation Dry Water to assist in educating operators and passengers on the dangers associated with boating while impaired,” said Timothy Tyler, director of the IDNR Office of Law Enforcement. “We also will be reminding them of other safe boating practices, such as wearing a life jacket and enrolling in a boater education course. Our Conservation Police Officers want everyone to have a great summer on the water, and to do that boaters must remain sober and alert while underway. Last year, law enforcement officers across the nation removed 625 impaired operators from waterways during the Operation Dry Water weekend.”

Operation Dry Water weekend, held annually during the Fourth of July holiday celebration, is part of a recreational boater outreach, education, and coordinated enforcement effort surrounding boating under the influence. Alcohol use continues to be the leading known contributing factor in recreational boater deaths and a leading contributor in boating accidents.

Boaters can learn more about boating under the influence by visiting operationdrywater.org. Operation Dry Water is coordinated nationally by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard.

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