Police Form BWI-DWI Task Force for Local Lakes

If you plan on boating this summer, be sure to take extra precautions to avoid a Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) charge. Law enforcement agencies in the greater Austin area have been joining forces to eliminate drunk boating on local lakes.

This spring, the first “Boating While Intoxicated-Driving While Intoxicated” Task Force for Highland Lakes was created to help prevent accidents and injuries due to boat operators who are under the influence. In some case, these officers can enforce even stricter rules than on-the-ground officers. Specifically, the task force has a constant “no-refusal” policy: if boaters refuse a Breathalyzer test, the officer can get an immediate warrant for a blood test. Also, officers can pull boats over without any reason to check for drunk boaters, life jackets, and licenses. One LCRA officer claimed that officers can pull over up to 100 boats over the course of a busy weekend.

The BWI-DWI Task Force will be on the lookout for intoxicated boaters on lakes Buchanan, LBJ, Inks, Marble Falls, and Lake Travis. They suggest not only recruiting designated drivers for time spent out on the lake, but also designated boaters.