Summer sun and drinking often go hand-in-hand, but the OPP are hoping to keep boating out of the mix.
The Purple Ribbon campaign kicked off at the Salmon Derby weigh-in station at Sarnia Bay Marina Thursday afternoon.
Purple Ribbons will be placed throughout the community to signify safe and alcohol-free boating this summer.
"We got a lot of swimmers out there, a lot of other recreational boaters and the last thing you want to do is have somebody killed or seriously injured by somebody that has decided to have too much to drink and boat at the same time," says Constable Carlos Teixeria.
"Impaired boating is just like impaired driving," says Lambton Public Health Promoter Terry Easterby. "If something happens and you get caught impaired boating you lose your rights to drive your car on land as well."
According to Red Cross water safety experts, alcohol was a factor in nearly 40% of water-related fatalities of individuals over 15 years of age.
Lambton County had no impaired boating charges last year. However, they did have 29 alcohol related collisions, one of which was fatal.
