Lake Havasu City, Ariz., is launching a new campaign to stop boating under the influence of alcohol.
"We're determined to significantly reduce the number of intoxicated boaters on Lake Havasu," said Jim Salscheider, executive director of the Lake Havasu Marine Association, in a statement.
"All we're asking is that every boat designate one on-board person to be responsible for operating the boat on that day who is not going to consume an alcoholic beverage or ingest a controlled substance while on the water," he added. "It's a campaign that has been successful in reducing the number of highway accidents. Now it's time for the boating community to embrace the same philosophy."
The first awareness of this new safety campaign has already begun. Signs advising boaters to carry a designated operator have been posted at several prominent public launch ramps around Lake Havasu.
The campaign will continue to accelerate as the 2011 boating season approaches.
In addition to signs at major launch ramps, the program will be supported with an aggressive marketing strategy, including articles, ads and press releases in prominent boating publications, local radio announcements, consumer boat show exposure, e-mail blasts to known boaters, website links and social networking, and support from waterfront restaurants, bars and boat rental operations.
Click here for the full release.
