Dallas

Lake and Boating Safety for Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is a time of reflection and celebration.

Lakes in and around the Dallas – Fort Worth area are filled with boaters the entire weekend. If you are out on the water, it is imperative to remember all of the safety rules.

Lake Safety Rules:

• Always wear a life jacket.
• Avoid alcohol.
• Don’t overload your boat.
• Operate at a safe speed.
• Always have a passenger serve as a lookout in addition to the operator.
• Watch out for low water areas or submerged objects.

“People should know that a BWI (boating while intoxicated) carries some of the same penalties as a DWI, including possible drivers’ license suspension,” said Cpt. Cliff Swofford with Texas Parks and Wild Life. “I will have officers out around the clock, the entire weekend looking for drunk drivers,” said Cpt. Swofford.

According to the Texas Parks and Wild Life, there were 46 drownings in the state of Texas last year. 21 of those drowning took place in the DFW area. Many of those happened on lakes during the summer months.

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