The Highway Patrol has announced a BWI sobriety checkpoint will be conducted on Lake of the Ozarks sometime in July.

The Patrol did not specify when the checkpoint would take place, other than saying it would be in the month of July. The announcement came on the Friday of one of the busiest weekends of the year at the Lake: the weekend following July 4th.

According to the most recent 2017 U.S. Coast Guard recreational boating crash statistics, alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating crashes.

Boaters who come across a checkpoint on the water may be stopped. The Patrol says officers will keep the contact brief with the operator and perform a basic safety check of the boat’s equipment. If the officer suspects the operator to be under the influence of intoxicants and/or drugs, they will be asked to submit to a field sobriety test.

“Operating a boat while impaired is just as dangerous -- and just as illegal -- as driving a car while impaired," stated Captain Turner. "To ensure the safety for all people on the water, boaters should designate a sober operator for their vessel anytime their plans include alcohol.”

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