First​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ of all, when I am thinking about impaired driving, it is not alcohol or drugs that come first to my mind. Instead, I picture the small, everyday incidents that somehow make a person less alert, less focused, or less of their usual self while driving. In my view, "impaired driving" is any circumstance in which a person's ability to react, think rationally, or make suitable decisions is compromised, even if only slightly. Moreover, from what I gather, this concept is quite often misconstrued as people only consider extreme cases instead of smaller, more human ones which they are not aware of: being worn out after a long work/study day, sending one quick text, or telling yourself that you are "okay" when you are not at all. 

The experience that significantly changed my perception of impaired driving was not a dramatic wreck or a trending topic, but rather a night when I was 16-years-old, returning home from a late baseball training after having a full day at school and work at Bubba's Medicine Shop. It is clear in my mind that I left the parking lot and all of a sudden I was thinking I could not even recall the last three turns I had made. To clarify, I was not drunk. I was not on my phone. I was just tired, both in my body and in my mind. And the first time, I really got the idea that a bad thing could be done so quickly without even realizing it. The moment terrified me. It made me stop the car, make a call to my parents and confess that I needed a moment before I could give driving a go again. That incident altered the directions I had set for myself from that day onwards. Nowadays, I will never drive when I am excessively tired and on a long day, I will take a nap in the car if I haven't already left the parking lot. That moment alone taught me how human impairment is. 

Impairment nowadays is not always like that of a drunk driver who can hardly walk out of a bar. Distracted driving has become the main culprit, particularly among the youth. It is the pressing need to check a notification or look at the directions that make one oblivious to the road. It is weariness caused by participation in sports, attending school, and working - as a baseball catcher who plays four days a week and does several jobs, I can tell you I know exactly how it feels. It is being stressed, irritated, and emotionally overwhelmed. The issue is much deeper than what a breathalyzer can detect and the reason why this is so is that after driver's ed most people still misunderstand it. 

I have done driver's education as well as traffic safety courses and the parts which had the most profound effect on me were not the textbook facts but rather the real stories and plausible scenarios. The impact on me was much stronger than any graph or statistic when they demonstrated the length of time your eyes are taken off the road while reading a text, or the distance your car covers in three distracted seconds. The effectiveness of such programs is at its highest level when they make you put your family, teammates, or friends in the car with you. It is only then that people hear and take in the lessons when they are delivered. 

A large portion of the reason why I can be held accountable for my actions behind the steering wheel is because of the different leadership roles I have taken up throughout my life. As a catcher, it is assumed that I will be aware of what is going on around me, be able to keep my cool, and support my teammates not only emotionally but also physically. I, therefore, drive in the same manner. At church, I am in charge of leading prayers, reading the Holy Scriptures, and even preaching on some occasions. The moments, thus, have taught me how much people rely on me and that trust really changes the way I think about my decisions. When you mentor younger players, coach 9U athletes, lead singing, or preach sermons, you come to the conclusion that people are watching you—even though they might not say it. 

Due to that, I feel obliged to not only make safe choices for myself but also to be an example to others. I try to gently persuade others through my small actions. To cut it short, if one of my friends or teammates picks up his/her phone while driving, I would let him/her know my opinion. In case anyone is extremely tired due to a late practice, I offer to drive him/her or encourage taking a few minutes before going out. I have been in leadership roles—church, baseball, work—that have prepared me well to confront difficult issues with which safety is concerned. It is sometimes that I have to play the role of the "boring" person who says, "Let's wait," or "I'll drive," However, I don't mind that because I have seen how quickly a regular moment can turn into a dangerous one. 

The people I want to be considered as reliable of are the ones counting on me—behind the plate, at church, at work, and on the road. I learned certain skills from driver's ed but real life gave me the bigger picture. In fact, if only one person is nudged to think twice before choosing to be a tired, distracted, or disengaged driver because of my experiences, then I can say I have done my part. 

At the core of the matter, preventing impaired driving is not simply about staying away from errors—it is rather cherishing the ones riding with you, the ones sharing the road with you, and the ones waiting for you to come back ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌home.