Driving is a skill most people begin learning in their teen years. It doesn’t take long to become complacent and consider yourself an expert who can get away with unsafe driving because your peers deem it cool or because you’re just bored. I live in South Dakota, and especially in the winter, I see and hear about many accidents because people choose to drive when it is unsafe. I think impaired driving can simply be defined as choosing to drive when it is dangerous for yourself or others. Impaired driving is not just a legal issue, but a personal one, and my experiences have shaped me into a responsible, safety-focused leader who wants to help educate others about the danger of impaired driving. 

              Driving when under the influence of drugs or alcohol is one of the most dangerous impairments because a person’s ability to react and their coordination are so distorted that it is nearly impossible to be safe. Impaired driving is very common because people are busy and in a hurry, and want to think they are more important than the safety of those around them. People drive when they are so tired or emotionally distracted that they are unable to pay attention to the road. Hazardous weather also poses a threat to the safety of those who venture out in such conditions. Driving while texting or being on your phone is probably the most common. It seems like everyone does it. This is particularly risky because you can't focus on developing road situations and what’s on your phone at the same time. It only takes one choice from a driver glancing at his phone on a random day to turn into the irreversible disaster of a wreck with casualties. 

             My friend was in an accident and totaled his car because he was just changing a song on his phone. My grandma was almost killed because someone was texting and blew a red light, T-boning her and totaling her car. Hearing these stories has inclined me to become a more careful and defensive driver. I no longer go on my phone while driving. If I want to play music, I start my playlist before I put the car in gear. I think continued education about examples of impaired driving and its results should be more emphasized in schools and culture to curb the trend of accidents, where people are too lazy to ask for a ride or wait to use their phone. 

             Another thing that causes impaired driving that people don’t think about is music. Not only looking at your phone to change a song, but listening too loudly or engaging too much can cause you to pay less attention to the road. I know this firsthand and don’t listen to my music too loud because I know it distracts me. 

             Any person allowed to have a driver’s license must be required to pass a comprehensive training course on the rules of the road, including detailed examples of impaired driving and its consequences. This training should include statistics on the high price of life and possessions paid when safe driving choices are disregarded. I have taken one such class on driver’s safety, and it completely changed the way I drive. Most people are distracted when driving, but I try to focus on what the other cars around me are doing, then I can react quickly and safely. I know that driver’s safety classes will help people make wise driving choices. 

             Even if people are reminded of safe driving tips, it is still a daily decision we all need to make. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or being on your phone or just driving in unsafe weather conditions, are all examples of selfish choices people make without considering what it may cost themselves or others. People believe their schedules and lives are more important than safety. I care a lot about the people I am around and don’t want anything harmful to happen to them, so I try to keep them safe and help them make good choices. I know some of the horrible things that can happen if people don’t take safe driving seriously. Holding your own safety and the safety of others as a priority in everyday life will change your mindset, even when it comes to a mundane, simple task like driving to school or work every day.