Growing up, I always heard adults say that driving is a privilege, not a right, but I never truly understood what that meant until I experienced the consequences of someone else’s careless driving. Hearing those words as a kid never made sense to me because, at the time, driving just seemed like something everyone eventually did. A few years back, my dad, sister, and I were driving back to Los Angeles from Mexico. We were on the Rocky Mountains when a truck driver, who was on his phone and not paying attention to the road, crashed into us. The impact pushed our car off the road, leaving us hanging on the edge of a cliff. The driver took off and left us there. I can still picture the way the car tilted and how silent everything became for a moment because we were all in shock. A stranger first tried to help by trying to pull our car with a rope while reversing, but his truck was too small, so he couldn’t. Eventually, paramedics and police arrived. They told us that if we hadn’t been in a Range Rover, we wouldn’t have survived the fall. I busted my lip from the inside and my sister fractured her wrist, but honestly, the emotional impact lasted longer than the injuries. That moment has stayed with me as I've grown up, and it’s made me realize that one person’s careless decision behind the wheel can affect not just one person, but entire families. That moment changed the way I viewed driving forever.

Because of that experience, impaired driving to me means any behavior that takes your full attention and responsibility away from the road. People hear the words “impaired driving” and immediately think of alcohol or drugs, but it’s more than that. It includes texting, being on the phone, driving while tired, distracted, or even emotional. Even driving when someone is upset or crying can be dangerous because their focus isn’t fully on the road. Many drivers, including teens and adults who completed driver’s ed, still misunderstand it because they think “a quick text” or “I’m only a little tired” isn’t a big deal. But impairment is impairment. It only takes one second or one wrong decision to change someone’s entire life. A lot of people don’t realize that anything can change in just five seconds. 

Texting while driving is one of the most common forms of impairment today, especially among young drivers. Social media notifications, music changes, or answering friends can make someone feel like they’re still in control, but it slows reaction time and makes it harder to think clearly behind the wheel. Almost everyone has seen someone check their phone at a stoplight or scroll through music while driving, and it has become so normalized that many forget how dangerous it is. Fatigue is another issue that people underestimate. Teens often balance school, sports, work, and responsibilities at home, which can lead to driving on little sleep. Tired driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving because your awareness and reflexes are not the same. In my medical class, I've learned that when your body is exhausted, your brain reacts slower, your eyes get heavier, and it becomes easier to make mistakes without even realizing it. There have been many times when people convince themselves they can “push through” tiredness, but those choices can easily turn into tragedies.

Driver’s education and traffic safety courses can help change attitudes by showing the real consequences of impaired driving, not just the laws. It’s one thing to learn the rules and memorize answers for a test, but it’s another to understand how those rules protect lives. When students learn real stories, watch testimonies, or hear from people affected by crashes, it becomes more personal and harder to ignore. Hearing from someone who lost a family member or survived a crash can impact students more than any textbook ever could. What makes these programs effective is that they don’t just teach rules, but they connect those rules to real lives, families, and futures. They remind us that being behind the wheel means having control over other people’s safety, not just our own. Driver’s ed can also encourage better habits, like putting phones on “Do Not Disturb,” planning rides ahead of time, and knowing when not to drive.

As a future driver, and especially as someone who wants to become a neonatal nurse, I take safe driving seriously. I know how fast life can change because of one distracted driver. I plan to never drive if I’m tired, avoid driving with distractions, and be the friend who speaks up if someone tries to drive while impaired. No matter the situation! Being a neonatal nurse means caring for newborns and their families, and I never want to be the reason a family receives bad news due to unsafe driving. I want to be a safe driver not only for myself, but for the people around me. I also want to be the type of person who encourages my friends to make smart choices, even if it means being the “responsible one” in the group.

Looking back on that day on the cliff, I realize how lucky we were. That memory is always a reminder of why safe driving matters. I don’t want anyone to experience what my family did. My goal is to be the kind of driver who protects others, leads by example, and encourages my peers to make smart choices on the road. Driving shouldn’t be something we fear, it should be something we do responsibly, with awareness and respect for the lives around us. I hope that by sharing my story, others will understand how serious impaired driving truly is and think twice before making risky decisions behind the wheel. At the end of the day, driving is more than just getting from one place to another, it’s a responsibility that affects every person on the road.