Oswego County, New York (WSYR-TV)- Members of the Onondaga and Oswego County Sheriff's Offices, along with State Police, took part in a new program called "Operation Dry Water" this weekend. The program aims to stop boaters from drinking alcohol while on the water.
Deputies from the Oswego County Sheriff's Office patroled portions of Oneida Lake on Saturday.
"Bad things on the water happen like that, even before you realize it", said Sgt. Robert Kite, with the Oswego County Sheriff's Department.
Drinking while boating is especially dangerous because it can impair the driver's judgment, balance and reaction time.
"From the time you perceive the hazard until you react, it can be as much as a second and a half. The normal reaction time is less than three quarters of a second", said Sgt. Kite.
Anyone charged with boating under the influence may face fines, jail time and loss of boating privileges.
