To me, the term ‘impaired driving’ means operating a motor vehicle while your judgment, awareness, or reaction time is below the necessary level to do so safely. This state can be the result of alcohol, drugs, distraction, or fatigue. Even though most drivers are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving, impaired driving is often a misunderstood concept. For example, after learning the traffic rules in driver’s education class or traffic school, drivers may be overconfident in their abilities and feel that they are still capable of operating a vehicle after consuming a few drinks, taking prescription medicine, or looking at their phone for a couple of seconds. Such an attitude, however, is extremely dangerous. Impairment can affect anyone and everyone in a different way, and even a momentary lapse in reaction time, awareness, or decision-making ability can be the cause of an accident.

Driving Impairments

Impairment, however, comes in many different forms. These days, most drivers are impaired by one of the following four conditions. Alcohol and recreational drugs have been the cause of thousands of crashes and fatalities. Unfortunately, their prevalence continues to rise. However, today, the most common impairment among young drivers, especially those aged 15 to 24, is distraction. This phenomenon, specifically cell phone use, causes almost as many accidents as alcohol and drugs. Texting while driving, scrolling through Instagram, or even responding to a navigation app on your phone are all extremely distracting activities that require you to take your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel. Another type of impairment that I find to be common among drivers is fatigue. I would also like to believe that most drivers are aware of the risks of driving while tired. In my experience, however, many students, shift workers, and even parents have the misconception that they can ‘power through’ fatigue and still drive safely despite their slowed reactions and overall reduction in focus. All of the above impairments affect driving skills such as reaction time, decision-making ability, situational awareness, and the like, leading to unsafe driving practices and behaviors that place the driver, passengers, and all other road users at risk of a crash or fatality.

Personal Experience and Behavior

While I am not an experienced driver, as I only hold a driver’s permit, I have seen the dangers of impaired driving. In fact, impaired driving or distracted driving accidents that I have read or heard about have had the most significant impact on my perception of traffic safety. For example, I have heard about a traffic crash where a family friend lost her younger brother in a crash caused by a driver distracted by texting. The driver entered the intersection against the red light and hit her car, which was crossing on a green signal. He was only seventeen, which makes this story even more tragic and heart-breaking. I cannot begin to describe how this accident has changed my approach to driving. To me, operating a motor vehicle is no longer just a task that I perform every day. It became an obligation, an understanding that every time I take the keys and get in a car, I put the lives of my family, friends, and strangers in the community in my hands. I try to live by this simple truth every time I drive and will continue to do so after obtaining my full driver’s license. It has also made me even more committed to safe and responsible driving, even at the cost of personal inconvenience or other consequences, and to sharing the stories and my approach to driving with my friends and family.

Driver’s Education and Traffic Safety

Driver’s education and traffic safety courses, which are required by law for most drivers, can help reduce impaired driving through a range of specific approaches and techniques. The most impactful programs do not merely teach students the rules of the road, they also use the techniques of applied science to help students understand why impairment is such a dangerous condition. These programs may include in-classroom instruction, real-world driving simulations, interactive exercises, and testimony from crash victims, emergency workers, and families who lost their children to preventable causes. Sharing real-world stories and engaging students in the direct cause and effect of impairment allows the impact of these decisions to be tangible and makes students internalize the risks for themselves. Traffic education and safety programs can also be valuable by encouraging students to self-reflect on their behavior and activities, as well as the influence of their peers, on their driving and decision-making. Self-reflection is the first and one of the most powerful tools to keep people safe on the road, as it is the foundation for setting and following your own personal goals and standards. That is why programs and interventions that focus on students before risky behaviors or decisions take place have the most significant impact on accident reduction. Empirical studies have shown that drivers who received such an education were more likely to resist peer pressure, plan their trip or transportation in advance to avoid high-risk situations, and make safer choices while on the road.

The Role of the Human Services Major

While I am still not a licensed driver and currently do not even own a car, I can also play a positive role in preventing impaired driving in many different ways. As a Human Services major with a Psychology minor, I will also have the skills and knowledge to help my community in this way. First of all, my studies will give me insight into human behavior and decision-making in general and the social factors that influence those decisions. That means that I will be able to use my experience, in addition to more general strategies that can be applied by all members of the community, even those who do not have a personal interest in road safety. For example, by simply setting an example and refusing to ride with friends and family who are impaired by drugs, alcohol, or fatigue, I can influence my peer group to think twice about their own choices. I can also help those around me by sharing my knowledge about safe alternatives such as rideshare apps, public transportation, or walking and by being there for them when they need to talk. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I can help reduce the number of at-risk behaviors before they happen by educating my community about the impact of drugs, alcohol, and fatigue on their cognitive and emotional processing, as well as their decision-making. By combining facts and advocacy, I can help my peers make better choices and save lives.

The Role of the Community

Of course, the community as a whole can also play an active role in preventing impaired driving and its consequences. Again, every small positive action counts and can have a very significant impact on road safety and risk reduction. As previously mentioned, the best strategies for preventing impaired driving are planning in advance, including arranging rides with friends or relatives who will be impaired by drugs, alcohol, or fatigue, and refusing to ride with them when it is their turn to drive. You can also offer your help to a friend who may be considering driving in an impaired state and make sure that they have a safe ride home. Parents and guardians can also help by monitoring their young family member’s behavior and talking to them about their choices. Even if you do not have your own car or the ability to drive, your actions can and will make a difference.

Conclusion

In conclusion, impaired driving is not only dangerous, but it is also preventable. In fact, by simply understanding the many forms of impairment, including alcohol, drugs, distraction, and fatigue, and how each of these forms negatively affects your reaction time, decision-making ability, and overall driving skills, one can take simple, concrete, and actionable steps to reduce the risk of crashes and fatalities. Driver’s education and traffic safety courses and programs are especially effective at reducing at-risk behavior and improving overall road safety because they provide knowledge, awareness, and skills to help road users and future drivers navigate the complex road environment safely. I, as a future licensed driver, can contribute to reducing impaired driving and its consequences by living by a simple truth and a personal mantra about the obligation of responsible driving, by educating my community about impaired driving and its impact on one’s cognitive and emotional functions, and by setting a good example for those around me. Every person can help make a change in the community that they live in by planning in advance and offering their help and support to peers, family members, and friends who may be at risk of driving or riding with an impaired driver. By combining education and awareness with personal responsibility and accountability, each member of the community can help prevent at-risk behavior and save lives.