this holiday season DUI message is don't drink and drive

Why do so many people keep having DUI after DUI. It only takes one DUI for permanent scarring of your life.

The problems with getting a DUI are so bad, that the Illinois Department of Traffic Safety has spent money on a new ad campaign to hammer home the hard facts about DUI's.

The new DUI or driving under the influence ad campaign's main message is "all it takes is just one DUI to permanently scar you for life." That message is communicated in new TV commercials via images of people with the word "loser" graphically seared on their bodies.

It's an unsightly visual, but a mnemonic device that can't be ignored. By latching on to such an unappetizing visual, Lou Beres and Chief Creative Officer Andy Madorsky obviously were willing to run the risk of offending people's sensibilities to make the point about drunken drivers and the horrendous harm they can cause.

The new campaign boldly communicating the "loser" aspect of drunken driving comes as Illinois is about to enact a new, stricter DUI law Jan. 1. That is when anyone with a DUI on their record must install a breath alcohol ignition interlock device on their car if they intend to drive. The device prevents starting a car if the driver's breath alcohol level exceeds a certain level.