Law enforcement officers say a new Michigan law will make it easier to keep intoxicated boaters off the water. The new law lowers the allowable blood-alcohol content for boaters from .10 to .08. That's the same blood-alcohol standard used to judge car drivers.
John O’Hagan is undersheriff in Manistee County, where two officers patrol local waterways during the summer. O’Hagan says having a consistent standard for everyone will make their jobs easier.
“Before, with the blood alcohol at a .10, that’s kind of high," says O'Hagan. "Now we’re at .08 (and) there’s many … drunk drivers on the boats that we had to let go.”
The new law also provides tougher punishments for intoxicated boaters who have minors on the boat.