It will be a prolonged holiday weekend this year with the 4th of July falling on a Monday.
And with increased traffic volume anticipated, officers will be on the lookout for impaired drivers on the road — and the water.
Arkansas State Police Director Col. Bill Bryant said in a release that while authorities want Arkansans to enjoy our nation’s birthday celebration, state troopers and other law enforcement officers will be prepared to stop and arrest dangerous drivers to ensure the safety of all.
“We want Arkansans to enjoy our nation’s birthday celebration, but not at the expense of making state highways, county roads, and city streets unsafe,” said Colonel Bill Bryant, director of the Arkansas State Police and the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative.
“Unfortunately, far too many drivers make the wrong decision to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after consuming one or two alcoholic drinks, or using drugs, placing other motorists in harm’s way. Our state troopers along with other law enforcement officers will be prepared to stop and arrest these dangerous drivers to ensure the safety of all.”
From 2016 to 2020, there were 1,390 drivers killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes over the July 4th holiday period. Thirty-nine percent (542) of the drivers killed were alcohol-impaired (with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher), and more than half (51%) were between the ages of 21-34.
Bryant said troopers, sheriff’s deputies, and local police will be increasing their patrols through the holiday to be on guard against impaired drivers, getting them off the roadways before anyone can be hurt.
Officials from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC ) also remind everyone that there will be increased enforcement by wildlife officers to prevent instances of boating under the influence as part of “Operation Dry Water.”
Operation Dry Water was launched in 2009 by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Capt. Stephanie Weatherington, AGFC boating law administrator, says not only does being caught boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs carry a stiff fine, but it also is grounds for a person to lose their driver’s license just as though they were ticketed for driving under the influence.
Boating while intoxicated can be even more dangerous than driving a car while intoxicated, as most boaters have less experience operating a boat. Additionally, boats don’t have brakes and are slower to maneuver than cars. These slower reaction times to a sudden danger can be the difference between life and death.
Weatherington says the effects of alcohol also are magnified by the conditions boating creates.
“The sun, heat, wind, and motion all intensify alcohol’s impact on a person,” Weatherington said. “A person who normally wouldn’t feel much effect of one or two beers in an indoor setting may find themselves impaired much more quickly on the water.”
The added impact of alcohol can be a danger to passengers as well as drivers. Although not illegal, passengers who consume too much alcohol can make poor judgements that can lead to injuries and death as well.
Weatherington says she receives calls every year asking if it’s okay to have alcohol on a boat at all. In most cases, it’s fine to have an alcoholic beverage onboard, but people should pay attention to the county they are boating in.
“Dry counties are still dry, even on the water,” Weatherington said. “Sheriff’s departments can and will enforce those regulations just as if they were on land.”
Since its inception, Operation Dry Water has helped law enforcement officers remove 5,358 BUI operators from the nation’s waterways and contact more than 2.2 million boaters to help everyone have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend.
Image via AGFG
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