I still remember the first time my mother told me this story. While she was in preschool in the 1980s, her and another little boy were both on the "pick-up list", waiting outside each afternoon for their parents to arrive. She was picked up as usual, but one day, after she left, the boy remained—alone on the curb long after dismissal had ended. His mother never came.

My mother would later learn that her classmate's mother was involved in a fatal car crash. After working an overnight shift, the boy’s mother had fallen asleep at the wheel on her way to the school. Her car door hadn’t fully latched, and when she leaned over after falling asleep, she slipped out, fatally struck by her own tires. It was a tragic accident, but a preventable one as well; one that left a small child not understanding why his mother hadn't come to pick him up that day and why she never would be able to again.

Though safety measures have improved in cars since then, this anecdote still confronts us with an undeniable truth about impaired driving. It is not always drugs, it is not always alcohol. It can be something that countless drivers, even ones I've seen myself, seem to underestimate. The impairment in this case? Fatigue. 

To me, "impaired driving" is where a driver's ability to operate a vehicle safely is reduced, no matter the cause. People are taught that drunk driving is dangerous, that texting is reckless, but not many people are instructed on the dangers of fatigue and the consequences of driving while tired. Most people don’t view tiredness as an impairment, instead as just an inconvenience. Even experienced drivers often underestimate just how dangerous drowsy driving can be because it doesn’t feel like a substance, a distraction, or a conscious decision to break the rules. It feels like life.

Notably, fatigue can decrease reaction time, reduce awareness of their surroundings, and impair judgment. 
Studies show that being awake for over 20 hours can impair driving performance as much as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08%. Fatigue can also cause "microsleeps" in which the brain shuts down for a few seconds, often without even realizing it. When driving at highway speeds, these sort of microsleeps can happen when travelling the length of an entire football field, all without being conscious. There are intense consequences to all of this. While it is dangerous for the driver, it can be equally dangerous for others on the road.

I have seen the attitude of underestimating fatigue multiple times. My friends insist they can work through the drowsy ride home after a late night of studying or my coworkers brag about getting only a few hours of sleep but still driving in early. Even I used to believe it was normal, something unavoidable; but my mother's story changed that perception forever.

I have promised myself that I will never drive when I am too tired. If I am too exhausted to keep my eyes open in my own house, how will I be able to pay attention on the road? I promised to take the extra time to rest, switch drivers, or delay the trip entirely. I would never risk my life or other's over the time I need to be somewhere. Fatigue does not go away simply because you need to be somewhere at a certain time and I refuse to act as if I am an exception to that fact. 

Driver’s education and traffic school programs can help change attitudes about fatigue by emphasizing its seriousness alongside alcohol and drug impairment. These courses will be more effective when they use valid statistics and anecdotes such as my mother's. Drivers should very clearly understand how sleep loss impairs a driver and the ways that you can reduce fatigue and when you should simply choose not to get behind the wheel. In the real world, people must recognize fatigue as a human experience, yes, but also be educated to understand the risks.

As for my role, I believe preventing impaired driving starts with example and honesty. While my friends and coworkers might think my conversations are "lecturing", I would know in my heart that educating them on the dangers of driving tired is far more important than not being a "bother". I offer Ubers if someone is too tired, I find other people to drive who are not struggling to stay awake. By leading with example, I would be able to help support people understand what they can do to protect themselves and others. 

Fatigue is often one of the most misunderstood forms of impaired driving. The tragedy my mother heard of as a child continues to remind me that driving requires full awareness; something that cannot exist in a fatigued state. By valuing rest, educating others, and refusing to take risks behind the wheel, we can protect ourselves and the people who wait for us. Fatigue may be common, but its consequences are anything but ordinary.