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Police Cracking Down on Dangerous Boaters

By WEEK Producer
July 2, 2011 Updated Jul 2, 2011 at 10:40 PM CDT

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, or IDNR warns boaters to be mindful of drinking alcohol and operation a boat.

The IDNR is participating in Operation Dry Water. It is a national effort to crack down on impaired boaters. Conservation police advise watergoers to have a designated skipper onboard.

Anyone convicted of operating a boat under the influence of alcohol can be sentenced to up to one year in jail and pay up to a $2,500 fine.

Scott Avery, of the IDNR Conservation Police said, "when we see some unsafe acts, especially boaters jumping wakes, or just operating in an unsafe manner, we will be stopping those vessels and conducting our boat safety checks as well as looking for impaired operators on the water."

State law also requires a personal floatation device on your boat for every person aboard.

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