DETROIT, MI (AP)-- The U.S. Coast Guard says it has written more than 50 tickets this year to Great Lakes boat operators who have had too much to drink.
The government says the number of violations is higher than the number posted through July 4 in each of the last three years.
Commander David Beck of the Coast Guard's 9th District says sun, waves and dehydration can contribute to significant problems when someone's been drinking alcohol in a boat. He recommends that a sober passenger take the wheel of the boat.
The Coast Guard says alcohol was a leading factor in about 17 percent of recreational boating deaths last year.
