Lake Lanier is safer this summer; reasons uncertain

Law enforcement officers patrolling Lake Lanier this summer say lake visitors so far appear more safety conscious than last year.

Department of Natural Resources officials and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers are finishing up Operation Dry Water today, an initiative by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators to increase visibility and enforcement of boating under the influence laws before the Fourth of July holiday.

DNR Capt. Thomas Barnard said there are more people on the lake this summer, something he attributes to the high lake level, yet there have been fewer accidents compared with last year.

Public education and awareness have proved helpful in keeping accidents and deaths to a minimum. Other factors may include the new boating laws that just took effect, increased enforcement and lessons learned from high profile fatalities last summer, he said.

“The biggest thing for me is the awareness,” Barnard said. “We’ve had so much coverage on it, I think that has really brought (it) to light to the boating public about the new changes.”

DNR statistics for the first half of this year, through June 26, show eight boating incidents and 19 boating under the influence citations, compared with 19 incidents and 31 citations for the same period last year.

There have been three fatal boating incidents and one drowning this year. None of the victims were wearing life jackets.

via Lake Lanier is safer this summer; reasons uncertain.