It’s Operation Sober Boater

As I was driving across the state over the holiday weekend, I was glad to see signs and checkpoints to ensure that drunk drivers were not on the roads. I am also happy to learn that authorities are cracking down on our waterways as well. There is a new initiative in place to make sure boaters who are driving on lakes and rivers in the Capital Region are sober. The Albany and Saratoga County Sheriffs have launched Operation Sober Boater. They are also reaching out to local bar and restaurant owners along the waterways to make sure that their patrons have a designated captain to get them where they need to be safely and sober. They are hoping to send a strong message.

This is all being done in an effort to lower the number of incidents on the water that are a direct result of those boaters who are operating their boats while drinking or doing drugs.

There will also be an increase in patrols not only throughout the new campaign, but throughout the boating season where they will be looking for impaired boaters.