Fourth of July Safety: Law enforcement targets highways, waterways in the Lake Norman area

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - Highway travel and boating are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels this weekend.

Officials expecting boat loads of people on Lake Norman, so they are targeting not only the highways, but also the waterways in the area.

Law-enforcement agencies are working on a special enforcement project in Iredell County.

NC State Highway Patrol, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, Iredell County Sheriff’s Office and the Mooresville Police Department are teaming up to patrol the area.

WBTV rode along with officers as they checked on boaters.

They say the Fourth of July weekend is one of the busiest boating weekends of the year in North Carolina, and July is one of the months where the most boating incidents happen.

Alcohol is a big factor in recreational boating deaths, so they’ll be making sure you’re sober and that you have the right equipment on your boat.

“We have found that not wearing a life vest has contributed to many deaths when boating accidents occur,” NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s Justin Owenby said. “Wearing a life jacket and staying sober are simple safety precautions that can prevent tragedy from happening.”

Look for a US Coast Guard-approved life vest.

State law doesn’t require adults to wear them on boats, but each person on the boat must have one just in case.

Children 13 years old and under must be wearing one anytime the boat is moving.

Related: A deep dive into boat safety: do you know the rules of the water?

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