At age two, staring out the window of a bright red Paris tour bus, I wore an Elmo backpack attached to a leash to prevent me from getting lost in the crowded streets my family wandered. I played with my brothers and parents, my whole world. We got off at an extraordinarily tall structure. My parents rushed out, tugging me along with the Elmo backpack. I could not see the value in crowding around a giant metal tower, but as my parents admired it, I admired them. I could not have asked for better parents. My life was full of transitions, yet those moments soon defined me. Little did I know such experiences would shape my life for years to come.

Before I continue with my story, it is important that I first define what impaired driving is. Impaired driving is any behavior that weakens a driver’s ability to stay alert, aware, and in control behind the wheel. It can be caused by alcohol, drugs, texting, or even tiredness. Many people misunderstand it because they think they can still drive safely while distracted. This is not correct, and understanding what impairment really means matters because even small mistakes can change lives completely.

After three years, I grew used to rainy days, towering mountains, and a small circle of daycare friends in Germany. I was the only daughter of four brothers. At five, my eldest brother decided to fly back “home” after graduating high school. I could not understand why. Wasn’t this our home? I did not understand then, but those moments now remind me how much I have grown.

The birds sang as the morning light broke through the windows of my bedroom. It was early June, and I had just gone on summer break. I was looking forward to my next years of school and opportunities in Germany, it was all I had known. However, my parents walked into my room and told me something that would completely change the direction of my life. “We are moving,” they said. I was in denial. Boarding the airplane felt like abandoning everything I had built in Germany. Yet, moving taught me to let go and find a home wherever I landed. Just like before, Italy became home.

As I moved from country to country, I learned how different cultures viewed responsibility and safety. This was when I first started to understand what impaired driving really means. To me, impaired driving is any choice that weakens a person’s ability to think clearly or react fast enough to keep others safe. It is more than just alcohol. It can be texting, drugs, fatigue, or even emotional distress. These forms of impairment seem common because many people underestimate them, even drivers who have completed driver’s education or traffic school. They often think they are still in control, yet even a small distraction can put others at risk.

Eventually, moving from place to place became second nature. Although I grew up very differently from most kids my age, I am grateful because it built the core of my identity. Change opened doors to endless opportunities and let me write a new chapter each time. In one of those chapters, a story I heard from a family friend changed the way I think about impaired driving. She survived a collision caused by a distracted driver. Listening to her describe the fear she felt and the recovery that followed made me realize how fast one careless moment can alter a life. It shaped the way I plan to behave behind the wheel. I want to be the kind of driver who thinks first and chooses safety over convenience.

This is why I believe driver’s education and traffic school matter. They help change attitudes by showing real-world consequences and teaching practical habits. These programs work when they focus on awareness and repetition. They remind people that safe driving is not automatic, it is a decision.

My definition of home shifted. It is no longer a place, but the relationships I build. No matter where life leads, I will carry my Elmo backpack filled with resilience, adaptability, and love. These values will ground me as I face life’s unknowns, creating home through connections I make and the difference I strive to create. Part of that difference is choosing to prevent impaired driving whenever I can. I can speak up, look out for others, and use what I have learned to influence my friends and family to make safer decisions. Even small actions matter, and I want my choices to keep the people around me safe.