To me, impaired driving means being in a physical, mental, or situational state that prevents someone from reacting quickly and driving safely. This could be classified as simply driving under the influence of substances, but it can also include driving during finals week while overwhelmed with stress. The most common type of impairment among drivers today is probably texting or anything to do with technology. This is because people are addicted to their phones and other technology, and it diverts their attention, which reduces their reaction time. 

Impaired driving is often misunderstood, even by people who completed the necessary driver’s education requirements, because of the overconfidence effect. In driver’s education, we are taught that if you drive while distracted, all these bad things can happen: you can crash, you can kill someone, you can kill yourself. Yet, once people graduate and begin driving regularly, many of them fall into the exact habits they were warned about. Most of the people who drive distracted end up just fine, and they go on with their day as normal. This creates a scenario where people get overconfident because of confirmation bias. They think to themselves, “Oh, since nothing bad happened last time, nothing bad will happen this time.” There are no consequences for such behavior, and thus there is no point where people are forced to stop and truly think about what their actions can entail for themselves and others. 

A recent moment where I was forced to think about the implications of impaired driving was when my friend told me a story. He was on an electric bike going 45 in a 30 while blasting music. He wasn’t paying attention, so he ended up running a stop sign. As he crossed the intersection, he felt a rush of air behind him. He turned to see that a car had just barely missed him, and the driver was looking down, probably at their phone. My friend is convinced that the driver didn’t even realize that they almost crashed into him, since the car didn’t swerve or attempt to slow down. My friend told me that this moment made him rethink his life choices. Interestingly enough, he also admitted that he would do it again and he wouldn’t change his ways. Hearing that contradiction, recognition without behavior change, was honestly more shocking to me than the near-accident itself. 

This makes me think that the problem isn’t just at an individual level, but also at a societal level. We have created a culture that encourages constantly staying active, whether that is texting a friend or getting work done, avoiding even a moment of boredom, and that is plagued by the influence and addiction of our phones. Since I heard this story, I have tried to be much more vigilant of my surroundings when behind the wheel. I have consciously made decisions like turning off my phone while driving to reduce distractions, because I do not want to rely on luck the way so many drivers unconsciously do.

I think that there is a fundamental flaw in the driver’s education system as of now. What they teach is great, but I find that most drivers disregard most of what they learn within the first few months of passing their test. Driving is treated like a one-time skill check rather than an ability that demands continuous responsibility. I have a solution. When driving, you take your life and the life of others into your hands. Similarly, the entire field of medicine does the same. However, a key difference in their education style is continuing education. Healthcare professionals are required to complete ongoing training and redo board certifications just to maintain their license. 

Since both driving and healthcare education can help limit deaths, I think that driver’s education should adopt this ongoing training style. I have a few ideas: drivers could be made to watch a 5-minute video on a yearly basis, explaining the risks of driving while impaired and using a real-world example, which could provide the shock people need to be reminded of the risks, and second, drivers could record a 10-minute video of their driving and send it in to the DMV, where it could be reviewed by AI in the near future. In addition to these individual-level expectations, I believe society should adopt a technology-based requirement as well: smartphone manufacturers could be required to include an automatic “driving mode” that locks texting, social media, and other high-distraction apps whenever the phone senses vehicle-level speeds. Allowing navigation and emergency calling would preserve safety, but everything else would be restricted. There would be a verification method to allow passengers to disable driving-mode, so they can use their technology. This type of universal system-wide safeguard would prevent people, like my friend, from relying on their own willpower, which many drivers admit they do not have. While none of these are perfect fixes, they would help rebuild accountability and reflection into a system that currently asks for neither.

A role I can personally play in preventing impaired driving is being aware of my surroundings. I find that while driving it is good to maintain a “bubble” around my car so, for example, if someone slams on the brakes in front of me, I can change lanes quickly to avoid rear-ending them since I have that safe buffer. Also, while driving with others, I can encourage them to focus on the road or turn down the volume of the music to help them focus. My knowledge can influence others to make better decisions because I can educate or remind them of the risks posed by driving impaired, and because setting an example is often more powerful than giving a warning. 

Ultimately, preventing impaired driving isn’t just about my own choices. It’s about creating a culture where everyone takes responsibility for their actions on the road. By combining personal vigilance, education reforms, and innovative safeguards, we can reduce accidents, save lives, and foster a society that values safety over convenience or distraction. I hope that by setting an example and sharing these ideas, others will reconsider their habits and see driving not as routine, but as a responsibility that affects everyone.