A new law in Utah requires people convicted of “extreme DUI” to have their driver’s licenses marked with a prominent red stripe and the words “No Alcohol Sale.” On the outside, it may seem like a return to “public shaming” used as a deterrent, yet drinking and driving was the cause for 12,429 deaths in 2023.

Between 2019 and 2022, Utah saw a staggering 89% increase in drunk driving deaths, one of the highest jumps in the nation. This surge was fueled by a nationwide “crisis on our roads” during the pandemic years, where decreased traffic led to a sharp rise in high-speed reckless driving and a higher prevalence of drivers operating vehicles with extreme levels of impairment.