Ohio to crack down on boaters who drive drunk

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio authorities warn that they'll be cracking down on drunken boating as the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend approaches.

Extra officers will be patrolling the state's waterways over the coming two weekends to remind boaters that operating a boat while under the influence is just as dangerous as getting behind the wheel of a car while drunk.

In Ohio, boaters are in violation of the law they have a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or higher -- the same standard for motorists.

Last year, in the first nationwide Operation Dry Water campaign, officers across the country talked to some 17,000 boaters and arrested 238 suspected of operating while drunk.