I was driving home early one Saturday morning after a late shift at work. It was around 1AM in north central Wisconsin on the windy backroads, in an area notorious for no phone reception. The trees were covering everything and I was scanning the area for deer. If I hit one, I may have to walk to call my parents for help. As I was driving along, I came up on another driver, going very slowly, swerving all over the road. I was just 16, but was coming up on an impaired driver, most likely from alcohol. I followed behind, very far behind, since I was a little scared of what they might do. After a few minutes, the other driver turned. I was relieved, of course, but was it right to just let the driver keep going? Did I make the right choice?

Impaired driving has affected every single person- some more than others. While most people may think just of alcohol or drugs, it is more than that. Texting, driving tired and strong emotions are all dangerous and all forms of impairment. Even over-the-counter medicines have warnings on them that most people simply brush off. A common attitude that I have seen is that "It's not like I’m operating heavy machinery.” The average car is 4,000 pounds- they kill every day. The mindset that cars are not equal to other machinery can be dangerous. To me, impaired driving is any type of driving where a person is not in the normal state of mind and their decision making is not at the same level it typically is.

What it means to be an impaired driver is often misunderstood by society, even after going through a drivers education course. When I was 15, my driver's education course heavily focused on drunk driving and how awful it was. Being from Wisconsin, it makes sense. We have the highest amount of alcoholics- fun to joke about, terrible to witness in families. Preventing drunk driving is an important concept, of course, but only talking about one aspect of impaired driving gives the impression that only drugs and alcohol can cause impaired driving. Teenagers and young adults especially need to understand that this is not true. Everyone has witnessed texting and driving, and many people have done it themselves. This is most common to see around school zones, with teenagers on their phones sending Snapchats, messages and even just switching the music, which takes their eyes off the road for longer than they realize. It only takes a few seconds for something fatal to happen, and can happen in the time it takes to open a phone, find a song, and put the phone back. 

When driving tired, on medication or while overly emotional is an impairment as well. When fatigued, reaction time is not the same, and risks of running off of the road from falling asleep are high. Even over-the-counter medications have warnings on them and could impact how you think through situations. Driving after a hard breakup, losing a loved one or even if you’re extremely excited also impacts how you think. Crying impairs your vision, and being hungry puts your mind in a different place. All of these things make it more likely for you to be in an accident, despite how innocent many of these examples may sound.

Impaired driving is dangerous, but the roads can be safer for future generations. My ideas come from my pilot training. As an aviation student, safety is key, and one way to stay safe is through the IMSAFE acronym. Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue and Eating/Emotions. Every time a pilot flys, they run through this checklist to ensure they are fit for flight- they are in the right mindset, not under the influence of any substances and well rested. This keeps flying the safest mode of transportation. Setting personal minimums should be something every driving school goes through to help students understand the seriousness of driving a vehicle. This way, people can look at a situation and decide the best option. Sick? Try to get a ride with someone else. Medicated? Wait a bit for it to wear off and drink some water. Stressed? Write it out, take your mind off the situation. Alcohol? Get a ride, call an Uber. Fatigued? Park and take a half hour nap somewhere safe. Emotional? Take a deep breath, call someone, get it out. A real-world problem being met with a real-world solution can show drivers how to solve issues, and how to not risk creating new ones. Getting into an accident because you fell asleep is dangerous and embarrassing. It is much better to stop the issue before it starts. 

As for texting, this is a new issue with new solutions. The laws in place do a good job of keeping distracted drivers accountable, and many apps detect driving and stop working while in motion, but the responsibility is ultimately on the driver. Awareness of the consequences and helping people with phone addictions is a start, and looks different for everyone. The enforcement needs to stay strong and consequences high. 

After the driver turned into that driveway, I thought for a while if I did what I should have by simply following behind. Should I have called the police? Overall, that person made it home safely and so did I. However, feeling scared from another driver is a memory that has continued to affect me- I never want to make another person feel that way. Driving is serious and so are the consequences, but with the right tools, everyone can make the right choice.