By a Proud Black Woman at an HBCU

As a young Black woman attending a historically Black college and university (HBCU), I have learned that leadership begins with personal responsibility. In my community, we often talk about excellence, resilience, and accountability qualities that don’t just apply to academics or career goals but also to everyday decisions, like getting behind the wheel. To me, “impaired driving” means operating a vehicle when your judgment, coordination, or awareness is compromised by anything whether that’s alcohol, drugs, fatigue, or even distraction. It’s not just about breaking the law; it’s about putting lives, including your own, at unnecessary risk. Unfortunately, impaired driving is often misunderstood, even by people who think they know better. Some drivers assume impairment only refers to being drunk, but impairment can come from so many sources prescription medication, emotional distress, or even lack of sleep. I think one reason for this misunderstanding is that people tend to overestimate their own ability to “handle it.” After taking driver’s education, many believe they know all the rules, but education without humility can lead to complacency. We’ve all heard someone say, “I’m fine, I only had one drink,” or “I’m just texting for a second.” Those statements show how easily people rationalize risky behavior because they don’t see the danger until it’s too late. Today, the most common forms of impairment I see are alcohol, drugs, texting, and fatigue. Each of these affects the brain and body in ways that make safe driving nearly impossible. Alcohol and drugs slow reaction time and impair judgment, making it harder to process what’s happening on the road. Texting is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction manual, visual, and cognitive. When your hands, eyes, and mind are not fully on the road, even for a few seconds, the results can be deadly. Fatigue is another major issue, especially among college students who stay up late studying or working. Driving while drowsy can be just as dangerous as driving drunk because your brain simply can’t focus or react quickly enough. In every case, impairment strips away the awareness and control a driver needs to make safe choices.

I remember a story that changed the way I think about impaired driving forever. My freshman year, a fellow student at my HBCU lost her cousin in a car crash caused by a distracted driver. He wasn’t drunk—he was simply checking his phone to change the music. That moment of distraction ended a young life and shattered a family. When she spoke about it during a campus safety event, her pain was raw and real. Listening to her made me realize that impaired driving isn’t something that just happens to “other people.” It can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Since then, I’ve made a personal commitment to never drive if I’m tired, upset, or tempted to use my phone. I also speak up when friends try to drive after drinking or using marijuana. It’s not always easy, but silence can be deadly. Driver’s education and traffic school programs can play a powerful role in changing how people think about impaired driving. The most effective ones don’t just teach rules and regulations they build empathy and awareness. When students hear real stories from survivors, victims’ families, or first responders, the issue becomes human, not hypothetical. Interactive simulations and videos that show how reaction times slow under different impairments can make a strong impact, especially on young drivers who often feel invincible. These programs are most effective when they connect emotionally, not just intellectually, and when they encourage ongoing reflection instead of one-time lessons.

As for me, I believe I have a personal responsibility to be part of the solution. As a student leader on campus, I can use my platform to spread awareness about safe driving and organize peer-led workshops on the dangers of impairment. Social media can also be a tool for change I’ve seen how sharing a simple post about designating a sober driver or using ride-share options can spark important conversations among friends. Beyond advocacy, I can lead by example: putting my phone on “Do Not Disturb” when driving, resting before long trips, and speaking out when I see unsafe behavior. Knowledge becomes powerful when it’s shared, and I want to use mine to protect the lives of others. Impaired driving is more than a traffic violation it’s a social issue that affects families, communities, and futures. At my HBCU, we often say, “Each one, reach one.” That means every informed driver has the power to influence someone else’s behavior. If each of us commits to driving alcohol-, drug-, fatigue-, and distraction-free, we can create a culture of safety that extends beyond our campus gates. For me, that’s what empowerment looks like: making conscious choices that honor both my life and the lives of others on the road.