Impaired driving means to me that you are drunk or high while driving. It is misunderstood even by drivers who have completed a driving education or traffic school because when you take a substance it is usually the substance taking over your body which leads to decisions you wouldn’t make if you were sober. These decisions could ruin your life in just the blink of an eye. It is sometimes misunderstood even by drivers because they think it is cool to do this just so they can fit in with their friends. Some may misunderstand this as well because they are going through a mental state that they think only substances will fix and when they start using the substance they feel better and can misjudge that they are impaired to drive.

       The most common impairments among drivers today is alcohol, drugs, texting and fatigue. They affect driving ability by distracting the driver from the road so they could get in accidents more frequently than drivers who are safe and aware. Drugs and alcohol make it so the driver can be tired and swerve in the road. This could cause them to hit someone walking or another car. Fatigue could make you fall asleep behind the wheel, which could end fatal for that driver or others involved in the accident. These all contribute to unsafe behavior because it puts everyone at risk that is on the same road as the person who is driving behind the wheel. 

       I have heard a story about one of our community members where I live about being impaired with alcohol and texting. This ended up in a fatal car accident. The accident was caused when the driver was distracted by their phone, the passenger in the car was drunk and unbuckled. The passenger ended up standing through the car sunroof.  The driver got districted by trying to get her to sit down as well as the driver also trying to text her mom. The driver ended up crashing the car into a tree and they both were ejected from the car. They were both pronounced dead at the scene. This situation changed how I see driving behind the wheel by even the little things can distract and cause something bad to happen even if you don’t think it could. When I am driving, I make sure that I pay attention and follow the rules of the highway or road. 
      Another accident, that I have heard of is a family that went to a camping ground. They brought their ATVS with them. The driver and the passenger were drinking before driving the ATV. The driver got into an ATV accident and the passenger was ejected. Both the driver and passenger were pinned under the ATV. The driver was able to go to the hospital and the passenger died on scene.  Drinking and driving do not go together. If one must drink, always contact someone to pick you up. 
     The last accident that I have heard of as a driver was impaired was two high school students. They were going to another friend's home from a party that they both were drinking at. The driver started to drive fast on a road and did not slow down at the train tracks. The truck flipped and went upside down in some water. The driver was able to get out of the truck but was unable to get the friend out of the passenger side. The passenger died on scene. 

        Drivers’ education and traffic school courses can help change attitudes and behaviors around impaired driving by teaching every driver the dangerousness of being impaired behind the wheel. It can show them the severity of even talking with your friend can change your life in a heartbeat. These programs are effective in real-world situations because they teach drivers how they can prevent impaired driving so there are less accidents and fatalities for impaired driving. The courses and/or drivers education program will also teach drivers how to be safe on the road.

      A role I can personally play in preventing impaired driving is to keep speaking about driving and impairment. I can use social media to prevent people from driving impaired. My knowledge and training can influence others to make safer decisions by telling them what my community has been through by also speaking out about personal impaired driving situations to the drivers so we as a nation can make a difference with stopping impaired driving.