Impaired driving means driving when you are not fully alert, focused, or in control. To me, it’s not just about drinking or using drugs. It also includes texting, driving while tired, being upset, or anything else that affects your ability to pay attention. A lot of people misunderstand impaired driving because they think it only applies to alcohol or illegal substances. Even drivers who have completed driver’s education sometimes forget that everyday things—like lack of sleep or checking a phone—can be just as dangerous.

Today, some of the most common forms of impairment are alcohol, drugs, texting, distractions, and fatigue. Alcohol and drugs slow your reaction time, blur your thinking, and make it harder to make quick decisions. Texting takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind off driving. Fatigue can be just as risky as drinking because you can drift off without realizing it. Many people don’t see tired driving as dangerous, but it affects your judgment and your ability to stay in your lane. All of these impairments cause unsafe behavior and explain why impaired driving continues to be a major cause of crashes.

I once heard a story that truly changed the way I think about impaired driving. It wasn’t about drinking or texting. It was about a teenage boy who fell asleep at the wheel. He was not drunk, high, or distracted—just tired. He crashed and died, and his grandmother also died in the accident. His two sisters survived but were badly injured and needed several surgeries. I can’t imagine the pain of having to bury your mother and your son while two daughters are in the hospital fighting to recover.  One of the articles are in The Oklahoman (William Mack 1995/ Tragedy Puts Sports in Perspective).  That story stays with me. Now, whenever I’m on long trips, I don’t sleep. I stay awake and pay attention, always checking that the driver is alert and okay to continue. That experience taught me tired driving can be just as deadly as drunk driving.

Driver’s education and traffic safety courses can play a big role in reducing impaired driving. These programs help people understand the risks and give them real examples of how fast things can go wrong. They teach defensive driving, how to recognize signs of impairment in yourself and others, and how to plan ahead. Driver’s education doesn’t just teach you the rules—it helps change your mindset. When you see real stories, videos, and demonstrations, it becomes clear that impaired driving is not just a statistic. It’s real families, real losses, and real consequences. These programs help future drivers think before they act, and that can save lives.  Not just your own, but other drivers on the road with you.

They are effective because they focus on decision-making, not just driving skills. They show students how to avoid dangerous situations and how to make safer choices, like calling a friend, pulling over to rest, or putting your phone away. When people understand the impact of impaired driving, they are more likely to take it seriously in real-world situations.

My role in preventing impaired driving starts with my own choices. I can’t control what everyone else does, but I can control what I do. I choose not to text and drive. I choose not to drive when I’m tired or upset. I can offer to drive if someone else shouldn’t. I can speak up if a driver seems unsafe. Even small choices make a difference. I can also share what I know with friends and family so they understand how dangerous impairment can be.

Driver’s education gave me the knowledge, but personal experience made it real. I now understand that impaired driving is not something that happens only to reckless people—it can happen to anyone who isn’t fully alert or focused. Because of that, I take driving seriously. I want to be someone who helps prevent accidents, not someone who contributes to them. I hope my awareness can encourage others to think twice before picking up their phone, staying out too late, or getting behind the wheel when they shouldn’t.

Impaired driving takes lives every day, but it doesn’t have to. With better awareness, good training, and responsible choices, we can all play a part in keeping our roads safer.  I encourage everyone to enroll in drivers' education.