North Carolina Patrols Increase on Memorial Day Weekend — Us Army Corps Of Engineers

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is increasing patrols on waterways this Memorial Day weekend, and officers will stop boats to check for legal compliance and required equipment. Lee Perry said the agency sees more water traffic during holidays, which is why the campaign is being expanded across the weekend.

Officers will look for lifejackets, fishing licenses, fire extinguishers and other required gear. Perry said officers also stop many people driving a boat while impaired and many people riding a jet ski too close to the back of a boat.

Lee Perry on holiday traffic

Perry said holiday weekends bring more people onto the water, and he urged anyone planning to drink to arrange a designated driver. “If you’re going to have drinking involved in your plans, I highly recommend at least having a designated driver just so everything’s good, and nobody’s gonna get in trouble and to be safe out there on the water,” he said.

Last year, there were 138 boat-related incidents in North Carolina, and 25 of them were deadly. The commission is using those figures to push enforcement during a period when water traffic rises and officers expect more stops.

North Carolina enforcement partners

The patrols are part of a campaign that includes on-the-road and water checks. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is working with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and local sheriff and police departments.

For boaters and riders heading out this weekend, the practical expectation is simple: officers will be checking both the vessel and the people on it. That means the required safety gear needs to be onboard and the person operating the boat needs to be in compliance before the stop turns into a penalty fee.