Living in Miami can be pretty scary for drivers, especially for teens who are just starting to drive. I have just gotten my license a couple of days ago and I have always been very attentive while on the road, even when I'm not the one driving. This has caused me to notice many drivers who may seem impaired by the use of alcohol or their phones. Many people do not see the risk of using their phones while driving or drinking before getting behind the wheel, which is dangerous not only for them but for the people around them. These common dangers make me feel unsafe while I’m driving next to someone who is not paying their full attention to the road. When I am driving, I am not sure if I should speed to get away from them or slow down. Even though I feel excited to have the freedom of driving, I have to consider that my life is more important.

Based on what I have seen on highways and residential streets, one of the most common behaviors of drivers who are texting is swerving out of their own lane. Because their attention is on a screen, they do not notice when their vehicle drifts. This small amount of awareness could end badly if someone were to stop suddenly in front of them. Another problem of using your phone and being on the highway is that when people realize they are about to miss their exit, they try to turn across five lanes in a short distance, a move that can cause someone else to crash.

While a texting driver is common, at night in Miami you can see drivers who are impaired by alcohol. I've often seen cars swerving on the road late at night, which is a clear sign that the person behind the wheel is drunk. It's different from texting because a person who is drunk has a harder time with their coordination. They can't react as quickly to things that happen on the road, like a car stopping or a light changing. This makes them a completely unpredictable danger and it's a huge problem here. They might stop for no reason, change lanes without looking, or just not be aware of anyone else around them, which puts everyone else on the road in a bad spot.

It's also a problem when people drive on drugs, even if it's not always as obvious as a car swerving across lanes. Unlike with alcohol, the police can't just do a quick test to see if someone is impaired by drugs. Drugs can affect a person in many different ways, like making them react slower, not see things right, or making them aggressive. This makes it really hard to tell that a driver is on something. For some people, drugs can slow down their reaction time, making it hard to brake properly or have control of the car. For others, drugs can make them feel confident or even make them more reckless. This puts all of us at risk because you never know how they're going to act.

It makes you wonder why so many people choose to drive impaired. Maybe they think they're fine or they just don't care. Living in a city like Miami where everyone seems busy, people might think it's not a big deal to use their phone or get behind the wheel after a party. It's like they think they're above the rules or that a crash will never happen to them. This kind of attitude is a serious problem and it has become too normal, with people making quick dangerous decisions that put lives in danger without even thinking twice about it. This mindset is not just dangerous, but it's also selfish. They don't seem to think about the impact on others, from the first responders who have to clean up a crash to the families who might lose a loved one.

Cars are an awesome way to travel and get around, but they can also serve as a killing machine if you do not use them properly. It is important that people understand that driving requires their full attention so that they can pay attention to all the different variables one cannot control. If someone feels that they will not be able to divert their full attention to what they are doing, they should either try to concentrate or let someone else drive. I would be grateful if every driver knew and understood the consequences of impaired driving and changed their ways. Thankfully, I have not lost a family member due to bad driving, but every time I see a Drive Safely sign I think about the families that are hurt because of impaired driving.