Town cracking down on drunken boaters this weekend

Santino: bay constables stepping up BWI patrols for Memorial Day

Posted

Hempstead Town Supervisor Anthony Santino and Town Councilman Anthony D’Esposito announced Monday that the town plans to crack down on those who operate boats and other watercraft while intoxicated over the Memorial Day weekend.

At a press conference at Point Lookout’s West Marina, Santino announced that Hempstead bay constables would be doubling their patrols to spot those boating while intoxicated. The constables, he said, are equipped with breathalyzers and added that any boaters over the .08 BAC limit would be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there were more than 4,000 boating accidents and 610 deaths in 2014. Alcohol was found to be the leading known cause of death in many of the accidents, or 21 percent of those fatalities.

The announcement also marked the start of National Boat Safety Week, and Santino warned that the motion of the boat on the water, the vibration of the engine, and exposure to the sun and wind often amplify the effects of alcohol, which, according to the Coast Guard, could make boating under the influence more dangerous than drunk driving.

Following a breathalyzer demonstration by D’Esposito and Brendan Moran, a bay constable, Santino gave several tips to ensure a safe summer on the water. After recommending safety courses run by the bay constables, D’Esposito and Moran also offered some important boater safety tips, including: familiarizing yourself with local boating laws and regulations, wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket, having a radio on board, making a “float plan” to let another person know where you will be sailing and for how long.

“By following the law, making safety a priority and using a common-sense approach to boating, we can all enjoy a safe and enjoyable summer on Town of Hempstead waterways,” Santino said. “There will always be those people who break the law and put others in danger. But our message is clear: if you operate a boat under the influence of alcohol, you will be caught and you will be arrested.”

Santino and other Town officials also urged residents to take boater safety classes.

“I am proud to partner with Supervisor Santino and Councilman D’Esposito to ensure smooth sailing this summer for town residents,” Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney said in a statement.