Think before you drink

ROME CITY, Ind. (WANE) - Last year there were 55 boating accidents reported in Indiana. Eight of those people drowned. In many of those, alcohol was believed to be a major factor.

To curb that problem this year, Indiana Conservation Officers are taking part in Operation Dry Water.

It's a coordinated effort that's part of National Weekend of Boating Under the Influence Detection and Enforcement.

In 2007, U.S. Coast Guard Statistics indicated that 21 percent of all boating fatalities were a result of alcohol use. So this weekend off duty officers will be paid overtime to patrol Indiana waters.

"We're just trying to make our waters more enjoyable, each year we have more and more users of our lake, but the lake stays the same size and so the more people we have out there that's not involved in any type of alcohol consumption in the water is going to make our waters much more safer," said Rodney Clear from the Department of Natural Resources.

The program will be paid for through a grant from the Coast Guard. But organizers are working to get another grant so they can do this again in 2010.

Now if you're caught boating under the influence you can be fined, jailed, you could even lose your boat or lose your license.