Game and Fish: Boat safe, boat smart, boat sober
KINGMAN, Ariz. — The Arizona Game and Fish Department will participate in a multi-agency enforcement patrol this weekend, pursuing people operating their vessels under the influence (OUI) of alcohol or drugs on the Colorado River.
AZGFD, together with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, will be on the lookout for watercraft operators violating the law and who are found to be above Arizona’s OUI legal limit of a .08 blood-alcohol content.
Throughout the weekend, boaters may be required to pass through a checkpoint and be subject to a systematic safety inspection. Operators will be checked for any sign of impairment from alcohol or drugs and to ensure the required safety equipment, such as proper life jackets and working fire extinguishers, are aboard.
“A large number of boating accidents involve alcohol,” said Brandon Carley, law enforcement supervisor for the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Kingman office. “Removing impaired boaters from the waterways is a critical element in creating a safe, enjoyable recreational environment for the public.”
Before heading out boaters should review all laws and regulations prior to launching. Boaters and watercraft users should make sure to have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved lifejacket for every individual onboard and that everyone 12 years and younger are wearing a life jacket.
Boats must also have a working fire extinguisher and a type IV throwable personal floatation device (PFD) onboard.
Additional multi-agency OUI checkpoints will occur on the Colorado River and its reservoirs throughout the boating season.
For more information on boating in Arizona or to sign up for a free safety course, visit www.azgfd.gov/boating.
