Impaired driving, to me, means any moment when a driver is not fully present, focused, or capable of safely controlling a vehicle. Most people immediately think of drunk driving, and while alcohol is a major cause, what hits me the hardest is that impairment can come from things people convince themselves are “small.” A buzzing phone. A few hours of lost sleep. A vape they think will “calm their nerves.” Even drivers who have completed driver’s education can misunderstand impairment because they think it only applies when someone is staggeringly drunk. They forget that anything that slows reaction time, clouds judgment, or pulls attention away, even for a second, can be deadly.

In reality, the most common impairments today go far beyond alcohol. Texting and driving has become one of the biggest problems among young people. I see teens at my school post videos and selfies from their cars like it’s normal. They think they can glance down “just for a second,” but that second can cover the length of a football field. Fatigue is another major factor, especially with students balancing school, sports, jobs, and life at home. I’ve been guilty of this myself, pushing through long nights to keep up my straight A’s, and then waking up early for cheer practice or work at Publix. You don’t realize how much being tired affects focus until your eyes grow heavy behind the wheel.

Drugs, including marijuana and prescription medications, are also major causes today. Because many people see weed as “not that serious,” they underestimate how much it slows reactions and decision-making. Even over-the-counter allergy medicine can make someone drowsy enough to drift into another lane. What all of these impairments have in common is that they make drivers believe they are still in control, when they’re not.

The moment that truly changed the way I think about impaired driving didn’t happen to me directly; it happened to someone I care about. In eighth grade, a close family friend was hit by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel after working a late shift. He survived but suffered major injuries, needed months of physical therapy, and his life was never really the same. I remember visiting him in the hospital, how shaken everyone was, how quiet the room felt, how his mom couldn’t stop crying. The driver wasn’t drunk. He wasn’t high. He wasn’t a “bad person.” He was tired. Just tired. And that was enough to almost take someone’s life.

Seeing that made me understand that impaired driving isn’t always reckless; it’s often careless. People think they’re okay to drive when they’re not. It made me promise myself that whenever I get behind the wheel, the lives of strangers, friends, and family depend on every choice I make. That moment has shaped how I think, how I drive, and how I speak up when I’m in the car with someone who isn’t focused.

The scale of the problem is staggering when you look at national data. Motor vehicle crash deaths in the U.S. from 1975 to 2021 show that in 1983, the deaths per 100,000 people were 18.2, the peak of a rising trend. While rates declined through the 1990s and 2000s due to safety measures, laws, and awareness campaigns, recent years have shown an uptick, highlighting that impaired driving remains a serious threat. These deaths are comparable in impact to historical events like wars: the American Civil War, for example, caused approximately 655,000 total U.S. military deaths, far higher than most modern conflicts, while wars like Iraq and Afghanistan caused far fewer deaths per day. While the contexts differ, the data remind us that preventable deaths, whether from war or impaired driving, carry a human cost that affects families, communities, and the nation. Especially for me, having an Iraq veteran uncle and a Vietnam veteran grandfather. 

Driver’s education and traffic safety courses play a huge role in changing these attitudes. What makes them effective is not just teaching laws and rules, it’s teaching awareness. My driver’s ed instructor once told our class, “Impaired driving doesn’t start when you turn the key. It starts when you sit down and decide what mindset you’re bringing into the car.” That has stayed with me. These programs help students understand real-world consequences through videos, survivor stories, crash simulations, and personal discussions. When students see how fast things can go wrong and how preventable most accidents are, it changes the way they think. Decisions like putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” feel bigger than a habit; they feel like a responsibility.

Driver’s ed can also correct misunderstandings that people hold onto. For example, many teens think they can multitask or that they’re “used to” being tired. Programs that let students experience reaction-time tests or wear impaired-driving goggles help them see the truth for themselves. It’s one thing to hear “don’t text and drive.” It’s another to try catching a ball while wearing vision-distortion goggles and realize you can’t even get close. These hands-on lessons make safety real.

Personally, I know I have a role in preventing impaired driving. As someone heavily involved in school leadership—Student Council class president for three years, National Honor Society and Top Teens of America Vice President, Teen Court member, School Ambassador, and Varsity cheerleader, I know people listen to what I say and watch what I do. I take that seriously. When I’m driving, I make sure my phone is out of reach. If I’m tired, I don’t force it. If I’m riding with someone who looks distracted or stressed, I speak up, even if it feels uncomfortable. Among friends, I’m often the one who says, “Give me your keys” or “We can wait,” because I’ve seen firsthand what one bad decision can do.

My training, leadership experience, and lessons from driver’s education give me the confidence to influence others. Even small actions, sharing safety reminders on social media, talking to underclassmen, and helping friends understand risk, can create a ripple effect. My goal is to be the kind of driver and leader who makes safety not just a rule, but a habit.

Impaired driving is preventable. Prevention depends on awareness, responsibility, and the willingness to speak up, not just for ourselves, but for everyone on the road. It starts with each of us choosing to drive with a clear mind, clear focus, and a clear understanding of the lives in our hands.