NORTHPORT, Ala. (WIAT) — Hundreds are expected to head to the water for the Memorial Day holiday weekend on Lake Tuscaloosa. ALEA Troopers and Tuscaloosa Police lake patrol officers will be keeping an eye on boaters to make sure everyone is safe.
Officer Wes Hollingsworth with TPD lake patrol says he will be making sure boaters are wearing life jackets and no one is drinking alcohol while operating a boat.
“There will be zero tolerance and it’s the same as driving on the highway and it’s the same as driving a boat if you drive drunk you will go to jail,” Hollingsworth said.
Senior Trooper Freddie Ingram says ALEA is also making sure boaters obey the law. He wants boaters to use common sense and stay safe.
“It’s going to be a busy weekend on Lake Tuscaloosa with lots of traffic on the water,” Ingram said. “I would ask that folks keep a proper lookout so, instead of worrying about everything going on in your boat, please make sure you have someone watching outside the boat”.
Kirk Patton went boating Friday with his grandkids and says safety is very important.
“We are a real close family,” Patton said. “I would hate to lose someone because of someone being crazy so I sure want everybody to watch what they are doing, so my family is planning to drive our boat slow and be careful.”
Trooper Ingram says he expects more than 1,000 people to spend time on the lake and he says as many as 700 boats will be on Lake Tuscaloosa throughout the busy weekend.