To me, impaired driving doesn’t just mean driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Impaired driving means not being at your full capabilities to drive. You could be tired, mentally distressed, distracted, unable to see at night, or even sick. The term impaired driving may often be misunderstood because it can be interpreted as being under the influence, specifically under drugs or alcohol. Drivers who have completed drivers' education or traffic school may even misinterpret this because as drivers gain experience, they also gain negligence. Drivers who have completed these programs may believe they are more intelligent or experienced than others, because they have completed the extra curriculum. Drivers also misunderstood impaired driving because they underestimate how subtle impairment can be. They often assume that only extreme intoxication is dangerous, so they dismiss subtle signs as harmless. 

As technology becomes more mainstream, technology is one of the most common forms of impairment today. Society today struggles with nomophobia, or No-mobile-phone phobia. This is excessive checking of notifications, severe attachment, and anxiety without being in the vicinity of one's cell phone. People who struggle with this may be more prone to check their phone, even when they are driving. Using one's cell phone can narrow focus, leading to tuning out of sound, sight, and important things happening around them. All of the impairments reduce awareness, limit a driver’s ability to react to unexpected situations, and increase risk taking. When judgement and focus are compromised, drivers are more likely to speed, miss signals, or fail to notice pedestrians and other vehicles.  This not only puts them in danger on the road, but other drivers as well, leading to accidents which may result in death. Death is not worth the notification of the latest news feed, nor is the guilt. 

It was a month before he turned 13. My stepdad's son was out with his mother's boyfriend, on the back of their motorcycle, expecting to have a fun, carefree joyride. When they were stopped at a stoplight, a woman rear ended them in her van, killing his son. She claimed to not have seen him but was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Because she was impaired, someone extremely valuable lost their life. I promote smart choices behind the wheel because of this. I turn on driving mode on my phone whenever in the car, ensure all passengers have their seatbelt (even if I’m not behind the wheel), and handle any controls on the interface for the driver so they can stay focused. It’s small things like these that can save someone's life or save your record. Until this moment, I always thought impaired driving meant being distracted by drugs and alcohol. Now, it can mean anything that keeps you from staying completely focused on the road. 

Drivers' education and traffic school can change attitudes and behaviors because it can make drivers aware of the consequences of impaired driving. With drivers' education or traffic school, students learn more about the dangers of being impaired behind the wheel, which are skills the driver's test does not teach. Additionally, drivers gain more experience and practice with schooling, putting them in real-world situations to help them on the road. With simulated practice, drivers learn the dangers they can face on the road, ultimately being more prepared. These programs work because they build both knowledge and confidence. By combining facts, emotional impact, and real decision-making skills, the courses make safer choices feel more automatic rather than a last resort. 

If a driver has previously driven while tired or distracted and “nothing bad happened,” they may assume it’s safe. The false sense of security makes them discount the risks taught in driver’s ed. Additionally, many drivers believe that crashes happen to “other people,” and not them. This makes them think they’re more skilled or alert than they actually are, causing them to underestimate impairment. For youth, distracted driving is treated casually. This makes the dangers feel distant or exaggerated, but they may never know what could happen to them.

The role I can play in preventing impaired driving is applying what I have already learned about risk reduction and responsible decision making and promoting it to others. I can plan transportation times to ensure lower traffic, intervene when my friends or family are considering driving under the influence, and promote alternatives such as designated drivers or rideshare services. I can model safe choices and speak up when I see a risky situation. I can hold my family accountable when they consider driving impaired, and I can make a promise to myself to never drive impaired.