To me, impaired driving can mean driving under the influence while also extending into broader circumstances of impairment. I would argue that driving when tired or even emotional can also be considered impaired driving. One example of this would be road rage, which most people are familiar with. Additionally, I know someone in my personal life who is what I would call an emotional driver. Contrary to the concept of road rage, this person will drive dramatically if they are feeling a certain type of way based on factors outside of their car and the cars around them.  

I believe the knowledge of impaired driving is so overlooked, even by those who have taken training on the subject, because we don’t realize how often it happens. We hear about people getting DUIs, but it’s almost as if impaired driving becomes out of sight, out of mind. If things don’t happen to us, we usually don’t take notice of them.  

In this modern age, more often than not, you will see people on their phone while driving. I personally don’t check any notifications while I am actively driving because I know it only takes a second for an accident to happen. The most obvious reason why this is dangerous is because your focus is on something other than the road. You may think your path is clear so you can check your notifications, but what if a child were to run into the street after a ball? Or if another person is turning onto your street and didn’t see you coming? It is so imperative for drivers to maintain focus while they are operating a vehicle, yet phone usage while driving is becoming increasingly common. Besides this, texting or simply being on your phone while driving is very risky because it can also affect your thinking. If you are on your phone and receive bad news or are having an argument with someone over text, you may become emotional and act recklessly while driving.  

There was a recent incident in my town that turned fatal when two teenagers were being chased by the cops after driving around in a stolen car. During the chase, the kids rammed into a Sherriff’s car and the Sherriff called off the pursuit. Subsequently, a Porterville PD officer was driving in town where the teens spotted them and rammed into the PD car because they thought they were being followed again, sending the car into a family home on the corner of the intersection. The cop car went up in flames, causing the house to catch fire. Sadly, the 17 year old teenager who was driving the stolen car died on impact while the 15 year old passenger is in critical condition. The police officer also sustained major injuries. The family whose home burned in the crash is currently raising money to repair the extensive damage and are displaced until further notice. All of this transpired because of feelings of fear that essentially forced the driver to make impulsive decisions behind the wheel. This incident really stood out to me because the people involved were so young and this was a complex situation taking place on streets I’ve driven down my whole life. It’s like the concept of out of sight, out of mind that I mentioned previously. This tragic event happened and it was entirely possible I could have been driving and gotten caught in the middle of that situation, potentially endangering my life because of someone else’s decisions. Therefore, it is important that we talk about and identify ways to prevent impaired driving because it can affect more than the driver who decided to getting behind the wheel when they aren’t able to properly control their vehicle was a good idea.  

Traffic school and driver’s education can help change attitudes and behaviors around impaired driving because learning the signs and risks associated with it can discourage people from participating in those risky behaviors. In a real world situation, people who find themselves under the influence or severely fatigued can recall what they learned during training and decide not to get behind the wheel. Similarly, a person who notices another driver who seems to be impaired can call for help in order to prevent that person from hurting those around them. People are already encouraged to call 911 to report a drunk driver, but perhaps increased awareness will persuade them to be more mindful and more likely to report unsafe drivers.  

I always try my best to drive as carefully as possible because I know accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Furthermore, if I ever did find myself in a situation to where I was not fit to drive myself, I would plan alternative transportation. Comparably, if I encountered someone who was impaired and should not be driving themselves, I could give them a ride or arrange one from someone else to make sure that person doesn’t get behind the wheel and endanger themselves or anyone else on the road. At the end of the day, it is important to understand that a car can be a weapon, so we must learn how to wield it properly. Official training can increase wisdom for the beholder, and with great power comes great responsibility.