Kevin Solis 

 

What does “impaired driving” mean to you? Why is it sometimes misunderstood, even by drivers who have completed driver’s education or traffic school? 

Impaired driving occurs in any situation in which the driver's ability to drive is compromised. One should be fully capable of driving while on the road. If one decides to drive when they are not fully capable of driving, they are engaged in impaired driving. The term is often misinterpreted for drunk driving. However, this term describes all situations where one's driving is compromised, such as texting, talking to passengers, fatigue, and more. It's often misused to describe alcohol-induced impairment because there are prominent road safety campaigns targeting “drunk driving”. Although all causes of impaired driving are covered in driver's education courses, most drivers do not review those points after completing them. The only outlets for road safety information to reach drivers are usually social media and the Internet. Drunk driving is one of the few causes which are still prevalent in the media today. Other causes of impaired driving receive less public attention, which makes them overlooked more often. Despite this, drivers must understand the full scope of impaired driving and what forms it could take. Drivers must understand that impairment, even for a second, is enough to cause a collision. 

  

What types of impairment, such as alcohol, drugs, texting, or fatigue, are most common among drivers today? How do they affect driving ability and contribute to unsafe behaviour? 

Alcohol is the main leading cause of impairment. Many intoxicated drivers get behind the wheel because they falsely believe they are capable of driving. A CDC article reports that 11,654 people were killed in car crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver. Driving after drinking alcohol is dangerous because once it enters the user’s body system, it produces a multitude of effects which clouds the individual’s ability to drive. It also impairs judgement, which often leads them to making riskier decisions, like getting behind the wheel. While numbers for drug-impaired drivers are vaguer, the CDC reports that drugs are also a leading cause of impairment. A study found that of a group of 4,243 drivers who were injured in car crashes over a 2-year period, 22% tested positive for alcohol, 25% tested positive for marijuana, 9% tested positive for opioids, 10% tested positive for stimulants, an 8% tested positive for sedatives. There are a wide range of drugs which produce different effects, but they all share the common trait of causing impairment in the driver. Fatigue is also another leading cause of impairment. Since many people have a busy life, they are often left with a few hours of sleep. This lack of sleep leads to drowsiness, slow thinking, and worsened reflexes. Under these conditions, it is not considered safe for them to be behind the wheel. Even with efforts from campaigns to target impaired driving, individuals will still engage in it, which has led to tragic stories. 

  

Have you ever experienced or heard a story that changed the way you think about impaired driving? How did it shape your awareness or influence the choices you make behind the wheel? 

There was a major accident in my hometown of Sarasota, Florida. I heard about it through my older sister, who was in middle school at the time of the incident. It occurred back in 2011. A group of four teenagers were killed in a devastating car crash following a birthday celebration. The driver, Sean Leonard, who just turned 19, was with his best friend, Andrew Monroe, 19. They picked up Leonard's 14-year-old sister, Jessica, as well as her 15-year-old friend, Kelly Janis. All teenagers were in their early years and were just starting their lives. They returned from Tampa around the late hours of the night. Around dawn on Sunday, March 13th, the car lost control and smashed into a wall. All four passengers lost their lives. No substances were involved in the crash. The deaths of these four teenagers sent shockwaves across town, leaving families and friends devastated. My sister recalled that the town was talking about the incident for weeks afterward. All four teenagers had a full life ahead of them, but it was taken away too soon. This changed the way I see impaired driving because it doesn’t have to be caused by alcohol or drugs. It influences the choices I make behind the wheel by making me exercise much more caution and avoid impaired driving at all costs. I understand that any compromise of my ability to drive can have fatal consequences, not only for myself but for everyone, too. 

  

How can driver’s education and traffic school courses help change attitudes and behaviours around impaired driving? What makes these programmes effective in real-world situations? 

Many drivers do not consider the consequences of impaired driving until after they get involved in an accident and face the reality of it. A good tactic to turn carefree drivers into informed and prepared drivers would be to create virtual simulations of impaired driving. These will simulate several different causes of impaired driving such as texting, fatigue, and more. The effects of the impairment will be seen through the eyes of the driver. By watching the simulation, the viewer can observe the effects from the driver’s perspective and how the effects can impair their driving. Incorporating this feature would help in real-world situations because drivers have seen a visualization of the causes of impaired driving. As a result, they are more informed about it, which would make them more likely to prepare and make better choices to avoid the consequences. 

What role can you personally play in preventing impaired driving? How could your knowledge or training influence others to make safer decisions? 

It is important to act when you sense someone could engage in impaired driving. I can play a big role in preventing impaired driving. I am currently in college. I am aware there are many people on campus who drive. I am aware of the many situations my peers may face in college that could lead them to drive while impaired. Many are often fatigued by juggling homework, jobs, and social life. There are also a handful who go out to parties and consume harmful substances like drugs and alcohol. Others may simply be easily distracted by their cell phone and use it while driving. With this knowledge, I have a better understanding of my environment, and how easily impaired driving can occur. I can advise people not to drive if they display a risk of any of these factors. It is crucial to spread my ideas further. I can share my stories and educate others through driver’s education campaigns, such as this one. It is important to educate drivers on making safer decisions because it is the difference between life and death. 

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