(FORT WAYNE) - The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is reminding boaters about a new law ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.
The DNR now requires boat operators to wear a kill switch cord on boats built in 2019 or newer.
Officer Gannery Htoo says the Lanyard Law is meant to help prevent accidents. The cord attaches to the boater's body and the boat. If the operator loses control or falls off, the switch automatically turns off the engine.
Htoo says boat operators covered by the law are required to wear the kill cord when the boat is on plane or moving.
Conservation officers will also be watching for boating under the influence as part of Operation Dry Water, a nationwide campaign focused on preventing impaired boating.
Htoo says boaters should follow all boating laws, wear life jackets, wear the kill cord and have the required documentation.
The DNR says anyone caught violating the new kill switch law could face charges, but Htoo says the focus is education and keeping boaters safe.