The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports that Chickamauga Lake leads the state in boating accidents in 2009. Chickamauga Lake has 10 accidents reported in 2009.

Local wildlife officers have conducted heavy patrols, and already made a 20 Boating Under the Influence (BUI) arrests on Chickamauga. That number surpasses the 2008 total of 16 just six months into the year.

TWRA officials remind all those who visit the state’s waterways for the July Fourth holiday to be safe for what is annually one of the busiest weekends of the year.

TWRA officials emphasize the use of personal floatation devices (PFDs) while boating in a safe and responsible manner. The TWRA wants all those who visit the waterways to have an enjoyable time. However, TWRA officers will be on the watch for dangerous boating behavior, such as boating under the influence (BUI) and other reckless operation.

So far in 2009, there have been 76 reported boating accidents statewide resulting in 32 injuries and seven fatalities. Alcohol or drug use has been involved in 19 percent of all accidents and four of the fatalities were alcohol related.

TWRA officers have made 97 BUI arrests this year as of June 29.

Davidson County and Hamilton County have each had 20 BUI arrests which lead the state. Davidson County had 11 arrests for the entire year in 2007 and a state-high 24 arrests in 2008.

Percy Priest and Old Hickory have had six accidents each while Douglas, Holston and Kentucky lakes have all had five reported accidents this year.

Last year over the July Fourth holiday, there were 18 accidents reported over the period resulting in eight injuries and a single fatality which occurred on Nickajack Lake. TWRA officers made 27 BUI arrests over the holiday period.

Wearing a life jacket is the single most effective way to protect boaters and reduce drowning in boating accidents. Eighty percent of those who drown in boating accidents were not wearing a life jacket.

TWRA wants boaters to recognize the effects and consequences of alcohol use while boating. In a boat on the water, consuming one beer is equivalent to drinking three beers on land because of external stressors such as engine vibration, wave motion and glare from the sun. Operating a boat with a Blood Alcohol Content of .08 or higher is illegal in Tennessee, the same as operating a motor vehicle.