Imagine something taking over you or affecting you while driving. Well, that is what impaired driving is to me. Lots of individuals feel as if impaired driving is when alcohol takes over people, and they are driving under the influence. Though that is most cases, some other cases are distraction, fatigue, drugs, people’s emotions overcoming them, or anything that interferes with people's transparent judgment and fast responses. Some people may not realize they are even participating in impaired driving because it is so common in today’s world. Yet, education and courses can help shift people’s mindsets and deliver more information to where people are less likely to participate in impaired driving. Having a strong establishment of information can help people understand why they should avoid it.

          First, there are many types of impaired driving. One of the most familiar types of impaired driving is substance abuse, which includes alcohol and drugs. Many people will have nights of “fun” out with their friends and think that they are fine driving after taking substances because they think that they can handle it. Most people are addicted to their phones, which causes them to check their phones after receiving a text, scroll through social media while driving, or even change the song playing on their phone that is connected to the car. Being tired is another cause of this. Many people drive home after a long day at work, school, or an event. These are all forms of impaired driving. Substance use fogs people’s brains, making them unaware of their surroundings. When looking at your phone, you could swerve off the road and lose awareness of your surroundings. Fatigue can cause sleep behind the wheel and delayed responses. In all these situations, it can distract the driver, causing damage to the person and the car. These damages can be car crashes, fender benders, injuries to the driver or passenger, or even emotional trauma. Overall, substance use, phone use, and fatigue can all be causes of impaired driving.

          In addition, when hearing the word impaired driving, one story in particular shows up in my mind. A girl that I knew was in a car with three other boys, and one of those boys was driving. They were coming home from a party where the driver had been under the influence of alcohol. As they were coming home, the driver was not in his right mind, causing him not to stop at the stop sign and continue to go without being aware of his surroundings. This caused their car to collide with another car, causing every person in the car to tragically pass away. This story has stayed with me over the years because it has shown me how even a night of “fun” with your friends can cause it to turn into something so much bigger. It was a wake-up call for all of us, telling us that these situations do happen and that we all need to be more cautious. Overall, it helped the people around me and me to see what these substances can do to you if you drive.

          Lastly, driver’s education is a way to shift people's I do not care attitudes to caring about impaired driving and showing. Driver’s education can deliver more than just basic information; it can put people in simulated scenarios, show real life events, and challenge people’s opinions. These programs allow people to see experiences that words alone sometimes cannot provide them. When people are put into this situation, they can see what impaired driving truly does to them and the people around them. Seeing how it affected other people and knowing their stories can cause others to think more carefully so they do not end up that way. In addition, this emphasizes that instead of putting themselves in an impaired driving situation, they can plan for a ride, keep their phone out of reach, or take a nap before leaving the house. Overall, by recognizing all of this in education courses, it can help people realize what not to do and how to keep themselves safe.

          Overall, I will continue to advocate to prevent impaired driving by sharing information, encouraging thinking before deciding, and normalizing prioritizing people’s safety. Through knowledge about what impaired driving is and personal stories, people can advocate to prevent impaired driving. Substance use, phone use, and fatigue can distract people from paying attention to the road. Education in driving can help spark awareness in others’ minds, helping prevent this from happening in the future.