When I think about impaired driving, I see it as any condition that prevents a driver from being fully alert, focused, and capable of making safe decisions. While most people immediately think of alcohol or drugs, impairment can also come from distractions like texting, fatigue, or even strong emotions. To me, impaired driving means losing the ability to give the road your full attention—and that can turn a normal drive into a deadly risk. I believe it is sometimes misunderstood because many drivers, even those who have completed driver’s education or traffic school, underestimate the danger of “minor” impairment. They might tell themselves, “I’m only a little tired” or “I can glance at this text quickly,” without realizing those split seconds of inattention can have the same devastating consequences as drunk driving.

Today, the most common impairments on the road go beyond alcohol. Distracted driving, especially texting, has become one of the leading causes of crashes among young drivers. Unlike a phone call, texting requires drivers to look away from the road, take their hands off the wheel, and think about something other than driving. That “triple distraction” makes it one of the most dangerous habits. Fatigue is another underestimated impairment. A tired driver reacts more slowly, misses signs, and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. Alcohol and drugs, of course, remain serious threats, because they physically slow coordination and decision-making. What all of these forms of impairment have in common is that they reduce awareness and delay reaction time, which leads to unsafe behaviors like swerving, speeding, or not braking in time.

My perspective on impaired driving changed after a story shared in my community. A classmate’s older brother was killed when a driver fell asleep at the wheel late at night. Before then, I mostly thought of impaired driving as being about alcohol or drugs, but that tragedy showed me fatigue could be just as dangerous. It was heartbreaking to realize that a normal person, simply tired after a long day, could unintentionally cause such permanent damage. That story stays with me every time I get behind the wheel. If I feel even slightly drowsy, I remember that no destination is worth risking my life or someone else’s. That awareness has shaped my choices—I don’t drive late at night after games, and I make sure to plan rides with friends if I know I won’t be at my best.

Driver’s education and traffic safety courses can play a big role in changing these attitudes. Good programs go beyond teaching the “rules of the road.” They make students think about the human consequences of unsafe driving. For example, when we watched crash reenactments and heard from victims’ families during driver’s ed, it was more powerful than just memorizing statistics. Those emotional lessons stick with people far longer than a test answer. Another strength of these programs is practicing scenarios—like what to do if a friend pressures you to drive after drinking, or how to handle distractions in the car. Real-world role-playing helps students be ready when those situations happen in life. The more relatable and interactive the training is, the more it can shift behavior from “I know the rules” to “I take responsibility for protecting lives.”

Personally, I believe I have a role in preventing impaired driving every time I choose how to act behind the wheel. For me, it starts with simple decisions: silencing my phone before driving, never getting in the car if I feel too tired, and being willing to say “no” if someone offers me a ride when I don’t feel safe with them. Beyond my own actions, I can also influence others. As a student-athlete, my teammates often drive together to practices and games. By setting the example of safe driving—like waiting to check messages until we arrive—I show that safety comes before convenience. Even small things, like offering to drive if a friend seems tired or reminding them to buckle up, can shift the culture in my peer group.

In the end, impaired driving is preventable, but only if drivers recognize that “impaired” means more than being drunk. Driver’s education and traffic safety programs give us the knowledge, but it’s up to us to live it out and share it with others. I want to be part of a generation that doesn’t make excuses for risky behavior but instead treats safe driving as a responsibility we owe to everyone on the road. For me, that responsibility is personal, shaped by both my training and the stories that remind me what is at stake. If I can use my knowledge and example to protect even one life, then I am making a difference.