Saskatchewan RCMP is warning watercraft operators that impaired driving laws apply on the water just as they do on the road, following a recent crackdown on Last Mountain Lake.
Read more: Sask. RCMP report 10-year high in impaired driving collisions
Officers with the Lumsden RCMP and combined traffic services Saskatchewan dumped more than 100 containers of alcohol and issued seven tickets during a six-hour proactive boat patrol on July 25.
During the operation, police issued four tickets for open alcohol on a boat, two for open alcohol on shore and one for operating a boat without a licence. Officers also issued several warnings to individuals failing to wear life-jackets.
Of the 20 mandatory alcohol screenings conducted during the patrol, police said multiple boaters came close to the provincial licence suspension limit.
“A day on the lake may feel more relaxed than a drive on the road, but your responsibility to be safe — and abide by the law — is the same,” Supt. Grant St. Germaine, officer in charge of Saskatchewan RCMP traffic services, said in a news release.
“On any given day, there are families out fishing and kids tubing or wake-surfing on the lake. These are the people — along with yourself and your loved ones — that you are putting in harm’s way if you ignore the law.”
Mounties are reminding the public that operating a vessel while impaired by alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs is an offence under the Criminal Code. Carrying open alcohol on a watercraft is also prohibited.
As summer continues, police urge boaters to plan ahead, carry a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, ensure proper life-jackets and safety equipment are on board, and avoid distracted driving on the water.
Anyone encountering an emergency on the water is urged to call 911, while non-emergency situations can be reported to local RCMP by calling 310-RCMP.
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