Impaired driving is one of the biggest problems facing drivers on the road today. According to the CDC, impaired driving kills one person every 42 minutes and makes up 30% of all motor vehicle fatalities. Impaired driving can include things like alcohol, drugs, fatigue, or distraction. All of these outcomes of impaired driving are preventable.

Impaired driving to me means driving in a way that is not a normal or healthy state that could inflict damage on myself or others. A lot of people, including younger drivers, assume impaired driving just means drugs or alcohol. This is not true as it can be expanded to driving for long periods without sleep, being on medication, or simply being distracted by a device, including a phone or a car radio. Driver’s education and traffic school do make it a point to talk about impaired driving, but only skim the surface of the dangers or what it means to be impaired.

The most common type of impaired driving today would have to be distracted driving. In today’s world, everyone is so distracted by what is going on around them. Everyone is constantly worrying about what other people will think of what they post, how many likes their most recent Instagram post got, or what that buzz in their pocket was. Driving requires a time period away from what’s going on in the digital world, which can be tempting to check your phone. It’s hard to wrap your head around extreme circumstances like a fatal wreck. People think, “I’m just taking my eyes off the road for a second, there’s nothing to worry about,” but this is a lie. According to Theory Test Practice Online 2025, including reaction time, it takes about five to six seconds to stop a vehicle moving at 50 MPH. Being distracted can increase this reaction time significantly, making it difficult to stop for an emergency. 

One story that sticks with me when it comes to impaired driving is one at a convention about drunk driving. The speaker talked about how he was at a party with his friends, got drunk and heard about another party down the street. He thought the same thing we all have before, “It’ll be quick, there’s nothing to worry about.” Peer pressure got the best of him, and while he was traveling down a quiet country road going over 70 MPH, he hit an unsuspecting elderly couple head-on, killing them both instantly, along with one of his friends riding with him. One choice led to the death of three people, including someone close to him, and many years of consequences in federal prison. This story shows that anything can happen in the blink of an eye, and it’s important not to drive impaired. The life of someone’s loved one could be on the line, including someone close to you.

Hearing that story made me think about the choices I make every day when it comes to driving. It helped open my eyes to the fact that I wouldn’t want to put anyone else’s life in jeopardy, so that text message can wait. Many times, I am driving with siblings, friends, or family. They have trusted me, and it is my responsibility to get them to where they need to be safely. I think about that convention and how I can do a better job behind the wheel and how I can make safer decisions.

Driver’s education and traffic school courses can be beneficial to young and even some experienced drivers. Many things you learn during the course can be applied to everyday driving. Courses like these are extremely important and should be mandatory for every driver to take and possibly be renewed. These programs are effective in real-world situations, giving drivers something to fall back on. New drivers probably understand what the gas pedal and steering wheel do, but do they know about the Move Over Law, how to parallel park, and blind spots? These are all crucial things to know when it comes to safe driving, and someone needs to teach them. Parents do their best, but many don’t know everything or forget to mention things a new driver needs to know when it comes to learning how to drive.

The role I can play to prevent impaired driving is to make sure my phone stays out of my hands when I get behind the wheel. I can also encourage my friends and family not to use their phones while driving to make sure they get to their destination safely as well. Humans also learn visually. Younger siblings or soon-to-be drivers might see a person texting while driving and think that it is okay or normal when it’s their turn in the driver's seat. Setting a good example can also be beneficial for new drivers to prevent impaired driving.

Impaired driving is one of the leading causes of car-related deaths in America today. Each and every day, we have the choice to drive impaired or not. It’s our job as responsible drivers to set a good example when it comes to avoiding impaired driving.