The sound ricocheted off the walls of the tunnel, and the seconds transformed into minutes as I sat there staring into the chaos of the crash. It could have been prevented, I knew it, but one decision not of anyone's accord but the one driving caused the death of a family. He had been impaired, in some shape or form. Like many others, impaired driving caused the end of their lives, and whether it was driving under the influence or driving when extremely fatigued, they still put lives at risk with every extra second that they sat behind the wheel. Impaired driving has long been a problem that evokes strong emotions. 

     While many would say impaired driving is when someone is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or sleep deprivation, to me, it is much more. Life should never be taken for granted, and when someone is impaired and behind the wheel, it is so much more than them doing the illegal action; it is also the devaluing of at least two lives. These lives are the impaired ones' lives, and the person who accompanies them on the road, either in front, behind, or beside the impaired driver. While it would seem like an ideal that people would understand well, we constantly have problems with people driving under the influence. I believe this is because many do not fully comprehend what happens when under the influence or impaired, they assume that they are “strong enough” in the sense that they will be able to drive well even when impaired.

     When people think about impaired driving, many do not fully understand what it is. They tend to believe that, within the wide span of perspectives on the topic, theirs can be different and call it a day. I believe that so many people tend not to fully understand impaired driving, is because they have so many different ways to view it. In the context of Driver's Education, there is a profound singular definition of what impaired driving is, but when it comes to younger drivers, they are heavily influenced by their parents. What kids see done by parents, they usually seem to follow in the same direction. I believe that because of parents doing small acts of having a singular can of beer and still driving, it will provide an outlook on impaired driving for younger drivers to make it seem as if they are strong enough to handle the alcohol. This could also be seen when they see parents driving extremely fatigued, and they believe that they are able to do the same. When it comes to the understanding of what impaired driving is, so many people do not understand, because they see examples, either a friend or a family member, that seem to be impaired without any real consequences. 

     Throughout my life, I have heard many stories of impaired driving killing young children, entire families, or just individuals in general. The vast knowledge I have on the impact of impaired driving has influenced how I react in these situations. With every new experience I hear about, I have shifted my point of view. I used to think that one could drive tired, or one could drive where they were not fully cognitive, but with the death of other humans on the line, my view of impaired driving has shifted to no tolerance for the occasion. Every time I sit behind the wheel, I remember to stay aware and active, to drive only when I feel at my best, because a family or another human is at risk.

     When it comes to driver's education, I believe that these values could help reduce the number of children and adults who are impaired. Driver's education is a way in which students and adults behind the wheel can gain an understanding of what impaired driving is. These courses can aid in understanding and clarifying the broad scope of impaired driving. Driver's Education is an impactful way to also show students and adults what impaired driving can do to both the driver and those on the road with them. Driver's Education can help change the statistics of impaired driving substantially. These programs are effective as they both tell what impaired driving is, and in a way cause empathy to be present in students by telling them what impaired driving can cause: death, severe injury, psychological impacts, and the loss of income or financial support.

     I believe that my role as a student is to help educate those who have no experience with Driver's Education, to understand the importance and danger of driving under the influence. My knowledge of many situations, I believe, will help in a way to deter people from driving under the influence due to the immense amount of deaths that come out of it. Driver's Education is important, but what is more important is the impact it can have on the future of students and the future of adults who drive daily.