The Travis County Police Officers will be out in force this weekend looking for BWIs and DWIs
Fox news reported that if you plan on drinking while at the lake this weekend, make sure you have a designated driver. That’s the message several law enforcement agencies are spreading since they will be out in full force.
Thursday it was quiet on Lake Austin, but park police expect it to be a different story this weekend. They along with numerous agencies will be monitoring the crowds looking for those who choose to drink and drive whether on land or water.
Some of the most common violations they see this time of year are boaters without enough life jackets on board, boating while intoxicated and people lighting aerial fireworks from their boats.
At Lake Travis, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office says they’ll be camping out at FM 620 looking for people leaving the lake drunk and getting into their cars and driving.
The LCRA is warning boaters to be extra careful when navigating Lake Travis because the water levels are so low and there are sand bars exposed.
Everybody just needs to be aware of their surroundings.
“If they watch what their drinking and look-out for people around them, they just wear a life jacket, that would reduce the number of drownings that we’ve had,†says LCRA Spokesperson Tad Druart.
All of the law enforcement agencies have adjusted their schedules so everyone will be working this weekend.
Park police say a misconception many people have boating while intoxicated does not carry the same penalties as a regular DWI but that’s not the case. In fact you can even lose your drivers license if you’re caught boating while intoxicated.