NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is teaming up with local law enforcement to catch boaters driving under the influence over the Fourth of July weekend. 

With warmer temperatures forecasted, TWRA agents believe they may see an uptick in operators driving impaired.

“We've had a lot of these pop-up thunderstorms the past few weekends, you know, that's kept some people at home, but with this weather forecast this coming weekend and with it being a holiday weekend, we're expecting a whole lot of folks to come to our waters all across the state,” TWRA boating investigator Captain Josh Landrum said. “You'll become impaired much quicker on the water than you will on land due to those stressors. Stressors such as sunshine, such as heat, the wind, the waves, you know those environmental stressors can make impairment set on much quicker than it would typically on the land.”

Landrum is one of many law enforcement agents who will be out this holiday weekend, working to crack down on boaters under the influence.

In 2024, Tennessee’s penalties for BUIs became the same as those found guilty of DUIs. The legal BAC limit for both is .08.

Between 2019 and 2023, Tennessee saw a 237% increase in alcohol-related boating fatalities, according to a report from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

“The worst part of this job is talking to the family of someone that was killed in one of these tragedies. And that's what we aim to prevent by arresting for boating under the influence,” Landrum said.

So far in 2025, the TWRA has seen 12 fatalities on Tennessee waterways. To spot BUIs, law enforcement will be looking for erratic driving and the speech of operators they interact with. 

TWRA agents also reminded passengers to have a sober driver not only on the lake but also to get home from Tennessee waterways.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/twra-prepares-for-uptick-in-impaired-boaters-for-fourth-of-july-weekend/