NEW ROADS - With many people expected to be on Louisiana’s waterways this Fourth of July weekend, law enforcement agencies are reminding boaters to stay safe as they ramp up patrols for one of the busiest weekends of the year.

According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Fourth of July weekend consistently sees more boat traffic than any other weekend on waterways across the state. One such area is False River in New Roads.

“We’ll have hundreds of boats here on False River and maybe a hundred or two on Old River also,” Pointe Coupee Sheriff Rene’ Thibodeaux said.

The Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office says it, along with other agencies across the state, will work alongside Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries for Operation Dry Water. It’s a national enforcement campaign aimed at preventing impaired boating.

“We’ll have Sheriff’s boats out here operating the entire river from one end to the other along with our brothers and sisters at the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries,” Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office Captain Jimmy Duckworth said.

During the 2025 Operation Dry Water campaign, LDWF says a total of 19 boaters were arrested for operating a vessel while impaired. Officials say those that are caught can see their boating privileges taken away and the suspension or loss of their driver’s license.

Duckworth says that impaired boating isn’t the only safety issue he’s encountered.

One of the most common problems he sees is boaters not carrying enough properly approved life jackets

“You need to have a Coast Guard-approved life jacket for every person on the boat. Children under the age of 13 need to be physically wearing it. There's going to be a label. It's going to be on the inside of the life jacket, usually sewed in or glued in really well, and it's going to have a Coast Guard approval number on it,” Duckworth said.

He also recommends that everyone wear a life jacket whenever the boat is moving, regardless of age.

Duckworth says overcrowded boats are another problem that he tends to see

“Too many people in the boat. That’s the biggest one,” he said. “You see 20 people on an 18-foot party barge. That’s just not going to work.”

For those planning to go swimming while out on the boat, Duckworth says someone should always remain on the boat to watch for other vessels.

“Somebody should stay on that boat and keep an eye out. Make sure you wave and let them know, ‘I got swimmers in the water,’ because I have seen people not obey that no wake zone,” Duckworth said

He urges boaters to stay alert and pay attention to everything around them and not just what’s directly ahead.

“Keep your head on a swivel. If everybody just decides that we’re a village and we’re going to take care of each other this whole boating weekend, we’ll be able to say that this was a blast,” Duckworth said.

WBRZ talked to Jacob Fontenot, a resident who plans to go out on a boat this weekend. He agrees that safety should come first.

“Making sure everybody stays safe on the water. Can’t be going too fast, got people and kids,” Fontenot said.

Officials also recommend boaters have a plan in place if storms develop and know how to safely return to the dock if bad weather occurs.