JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With Independence Day weekend approaching, law enforcement launched Operation Dry Water Friday, part of a nationwide initiative aimed at cracking down on boating under the influence.
Last year in Florida, July was the most dangerous month on the water, with 96 boat crashes. Those crashes left eight people dead. That's the highest of any month. For years, law enforcement agencies around the state have held Operation Dry Water. The goal is to put extra officers on the water looking for boaters who have been drinking.
"Especially on a busy holiday weekend that's even more important because if you've got somebody operating a boat under the influence and they slip by, guess what now they're on a trailer and a vehicle operating under influence of drugs or alcohol," said Officer Roland Green of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Green said Thursday was spent getting resources ready for the weekend. He says there are a lot of things they look for on the water to know if the driver of a boat has been drinking.
"That's why we patrol the manatee zones, Green said. "That's always a good start for probable calls if you see somebody running into a manatee soon."
Last year in the state of Florida, 24 percent of all boating deaths, 16 victims, were related to drug or alcohol use. Boating under the influence is a first-degree misdemeanor in the state of Florida.