Zoya D’Antignac 

Impaired driving can lead to countless avoidable road accidents. To me, impaired driving is operating a vehicle while being distracted or under the influence, which weakens your ability to drive safely. It is common to see people breaking traffic laws, especially on the highway. The most common types of impaired driving include: drinking, drugs, fatigue, texting, or being distracted from the road by other factors. Impaired driving is widespread and misunderstood. To many, even by drivers who have completed driver’s education or traffic school, impaired driving is limited to drinking and driving. Many drivers don’t realize how common these accidents are, and have a mindset of “If it hasn’t happened to me yet, then it’s okay to do it again.” Many drivers also don’t understand the severity of impaired driving. Several factors contribute to impaired driving while on the road. Drinking and driving is one of the most common types of impairment among drivers today. Drunk driving causes you to become less coordinated, affecting your vision and reaction time, which ultimately leads to speeding, weaving, and difficulty staying in your lane. Additionally, fatigue is another serious but common impairment among drivers today. Many drivers work late hours, get up early, or do not get enough rest at night. It is very easy for drivers to get drowsy behind the wheel, especially when driving long distances or at night. This also causes you to not be able to stay in your lane or mistakenly mess with the controls in the car. Some solutions to preventing accidents are public transportation or rideshare options. 

I am a victim of fatigued driving. While my dad and brother were on their way to pick me up from my practice, a driver who fell asleep at the wheel swerved into the opposite lane, coming into contact with our car and another family's car, which had an infant inside. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but our car was completely totaled. This is one of many life lessons of how something so easily preventable can cause major damage. Due to the driver’s careless driving, others had to suffer the consequences. Since then, I have always been more observant of how others are driving while in the passenger seat. That accident heightened my awareness, and now I struggle with overthinking about getting into other car accidents while on the road. I believe it is also my responsibility to watch out for other impaired drivers while on the road, because the driver will not always notice what is going on in their surroundings. One careless driver can run into another car, causing a chain reaction on the road. Once I become a driver, I will not drive while impaired. I will be a cautious and safe driver. This accident has taught me to value my life and the lives of others and not to endanger myself and others while driving. 

Driver’s education and traffic school courses teach driving safety lessons and provide real-life events that occurred to help change the attitudes, behaviors, and misconceptions around impaired driving. Although some examples provided are graphic, they show the reality of the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. Many people lose their lives or are seriously injured due to careless driving. Being impaired while driving not only puts your life at risk, but also the lives of those around you. These driving programs will help the students learn what they can do best in these real-world situations. Whether that is getting off the road, calling the police, speaking up about a situation, or being more aware, the programs prepare you for the outcome of impaired driving. Many teenagers often feel as though they can’t speak up when drivers are driving while impaired. Many passengers have lost their lives due to the driver's carelessness. Driver’s education also teaches you to value your life and speak out about reckless drivers. No is always an answer. If someone is drinking, tired, or under the influence while driving, your life is equally in danger as the driver's. These programs teach you to always be alert and keep your eyes on the road, whether you’re the one driving or the one in the passenger seat. To prevent impaired driving, I can personally inform others about the dangers of impaired driving and share my experiences. I hope that my experience of impaired driving will influence others to make safer decisions and help people realize how common but preventable these accidents are. An educated person on impaired driving lowers the risk of accidents while driving.