A new law in Utah, effective March 15, 2024, will restrict individuals convicted of extreme DUI offenses from purchasing alcohol. This legislation specifically targets those who have recorded a blood alcohol content of **0.16** or higher. The initiative aims to reduce repeat offenses and enhance public safety.
Art Brown, an advocate against drunk driving, shares a personal connection to the issue. His grandson, **Matthew Affleck**, died at just four months old in a DUI-related accident in **1999**. Since that tragic event, Brown has dedicated his life to raising awareness and preventing drunk driving incidents. He expressed belief that had this law been in place at the time of his grandson’s death, the outcome could have been different. “The pain and grief cannot be spoken,” Brown stated, recalling the circumstances surrounding the accident. “They were going home from a play, my family. Somebody was in a bar. They served him **21 drinks** over a couple of hours. He left there and hit my family.”
Brown’s personal loss has driven his involvement with **Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)**, where he served as president of the Utah chapter for a decade. “This law is important because if that person had been refused alcohol as a multiple drunk driver, I may not be in this chair today,” he reflected on his advocacy.
Under the new law, individuals convicted of extreme DUI will have limited access to alcohol, aiming to curb reckless behavior associated with repeat offenses. **Utah State Senator Jerry Stevenson**, a key proponent of the legislation, cited the alarming rate of multiple DUI offenses as a major factor in the law’s necessity. “It’s just the multiple offenses we have on DUIs,” he said.
The law empowers judges with the discretion to categorize offenders as interdicted. This designation will ensure that their driver’s licenses are marked with “no alcohol sales,” alerting vendors not to sell alcohol to those individuals. “It’ll identify the people who are going before a judge multiple times,” Stevenson explained.
Additionally, the law allows individuals to voluntarily classify themselves under the restriction. It mandates that identification checks are conducted for all alcohol purchases across the state. Lawmakers emphasize that the ultimate goal is clear: to deter drunk driving. “The message that we want to send with any law that deals with DUI is don’t drink and drive,” Stevenson reiterated. “Overuse, irresponsible drinking of alcohol is really not acceptable in any form in the state of Utah.”
This legislation underscores the ongoing efforts in Utah to combat drunk driving and its tragic consequences, aiming to protect families and communities from future tragedies.
