Impaired. 1 word, 2 syllables.
 Compromised. 1 word, 3 syllables.
 Dysfunctional. 1 word, 4 syllables.

   All have the same meaning, and all are things that we as humans want to avoid and forget about. Oftentimes we use these words to refer to an object or a plan, but rarely do we use them to refer to ourselves specifically when it comes to our mental and physical state. Driving is one of the many things that we take for granted but becomes heavily affected when we are impaired, compromised, or dysfunctional. While it has certainly made life more efficient and is one of many great inventions, it has also come at a high cost: human lives.

   As new drivers, we are told many things about impaired driving. We hear that “we are always watching for others rather than ourselves,” or “never drive under the influence,” and while all those things are true, we aren’t warned about the little things that also count as impaired driving. Many people think of impaired driving as simply being physically incapable of driving, but when you think about it, most of us are driving with some sort of imparity. The word impaired literally means to weaken or damage something. So, when our friends who wear glasses choose to drive without them and say, “It’s ok, I’ve done it multiple times before,” that is impaired driving. Or when we as teenagers choose to have our music so loud that we aren’t watching or listening to our surroundings, but we say, “Oh, I need it to help me focus,” that is impaired driving. I’ve always been one to follow the denotative meaning of things, so in my eyes, impaired driving is any time we are less than our best and still choose to get behind the wheel.

   By far the most common impairment when it comes to driving is our phones. We are addicted to them, and as long as they are in our sight, we are tempted to grab them. There have been countless times where I find myself in the car with a friend, and when we come to a stoplight, they pick up their phone. I’ve even done it myself. It’s to the point that every day it is costing people their lives, yet it’s still not enough to get our generation to put them away. Another common imparity that is not highlighted enough is fatigue. As a current high school senior, it’s rare that I feel energized after an eight-hour day at school. This means that whenever I am behind the wheel, I am often exhausted, and I know that if I’m feeling that way, many others are too. These factors cause us to lose focus on our surroundings and, without truly realizing it, put us in danger. An accident can happen within a split second, and if our focus is being pulled by a phone or is not 100% there due to tiredness, distraction, or anything else, it not only puts others in danger but ourselves as well. I’ve experienced it.

   
   One early morning before school, I was late and rushing. I had not eaten in almost twenty-four hours, which was a dumb decision on my part that came with consequences. With my mind focused on getting something to eat, I did not properly remember all my traffic laws and made a left turn into a two-lane road without checking both lanes. I saw it before I felt it—the brown sedan Lexus hit the side of my car. The impact was enough to knock my head against the wheel and for her airbags to deploy. My mind was in complete disarray as I looked at the damage before turning to see her looking traumatized. I was fearful, disoriented, and wished for nothing more than to go back in time and make a different choice—any choice—that would have prevented this from happening. I wouldn’t realize it until later, but in my situation, I ended up lucky. Everybody made it out without a giant hospital bill to pay, and everyone kept their lives. The same cannot be said for many others, and this accident made me recall my mother telling me about two family members who had gotten into an accident due to fatigue. They were not as lucky. Following this incident, my perspective on driving was permanently changed.

  Upon turning eighteen, it is no longer a requirement to complete Joshua's Law. I personally think everyone should take it as part of their driver’s education before hitting the road. It is tedious and a pain, but it could very well be the difference between a deadly accident and a safe arrival. In defensive driving courses, instead of simply stressing the dangers, prevention topics should be half the lesson. Real lessons on what impaired driving means and how to know the difference between when you’re okay to drive and when you are not. These little things can have a huge impact and save many families the grief of losing a loved one. Personally, when I am on the road, I try to limit distractions as much as possible before pulling off and remember the defensive driving skills I was taught before obtaining my license. I am still young, and if there is ever a time when I do not feel at my best to drive, there are other options. Driving is a risk just as much as it is a privilege. The more people are aware, the more we can prevent what was once thought to be inevitable.