Distraction Is the New Impairment

Change is a part of life and that includes how we think about driving. There was a time when public campaigns focused mostly on impaired driving, and for good reason. But today, there’s a new threat on the road that’s just as dangerous: distracted driving. I know firsthand the damage that can come from bad choices behind the wheel. My grandfather died as a result of impaired driving, and the impact it had on my dad’s life was huge and honestly, impossible to measure.

Now, the concern isn’t just about alcohol or drugs. It’s about phones, music, and all the little things pulling our focus away while driving. Distracted driving has become one of the biggest risks for young people today and I’m not above it. I’ve made those mistakes. This essay is about being honest with myself about the habits I’ve formed, and what I need to do to change them.

Have you ever come to a stop at a DUI checkpoint? Or seen those red ribbons tied to car antennas, showing support for the well-known group Mothers Against Drunk Driving? What about a badly damaged car displayed at the corner of a busy intersection, with huge graffiti-style writing that says, “Don’t Drink and Drive”? All of these were part of the effort to end impaired driving. And it worked! Impaired driving rates have dropped over time. My family will always be part of the statistics from the late ’90s, but I think we all breathe a little easier knowing some progress has been made. But then came the smartphone, the newest, and maybe most dangerous, threat on the road today. It’s not that 100% of people are distracted all the time, but almost every young person has been distracted behind the wheel. Imagine if we said that about driving impaired? The risk of distracted driving can’t be ignored.

Checking texts at red lights, skipping songs on Spotify, glancing at Snap, talking to friends… guilty as charged. That’s me. That’s my friends. I was lucky enough to be gifted a car the Christmas before I turned 16… a white Jetta, leather, loaded, and a standard. It’s honestly impressive how quickly I learned to hold the wheel, shift gears, and still hold a cell phone. I think my parents assumed driving standard would be a natural deterrent to distracted driving but let me tell you, addiction to dopamine always finds a way. And that’s exactly why so many drivers can’t resist their phones behind the wheel. And that’s part of the problem. It’s become normal. I don’t know a single friend my age who hasn’t looked at their phone while driving, even just for a second. We joke about it, make light of it, even send each other Snaps from the driver’s seat like it’s no big deal but it is. We’ve created a culture where distraction is part of the ride. And until we start calling it what it is dangerous, nothing changes.

It’s funny how, as a young adult, I’ve never equated my driving habits to those of an impaired driver and yet today, as I write this essay, I’m seeing the gravity and undeniable risk every time I get behind the wheel. It’s scary to think about hurting someone, hurting myself, or repeating the mistakes of my grandfather, a preventable death behind the wheel.

The most obvious deterrent might be fixing a photo of my late grandfather, my namesake, Jack Horrocks to my dashboard. A reminder that his actions aren’t so different from mine. But on a more measurable level, one of the first changes I’ll make is placing my phone in the holder on the dash. I can’t possibly have two hands in three places. Building playlists ahead of time is another simple but effective way to enjoy music without constantly searching through songs. Silencing my phone might help too, but ultimately, I believe the real change comes from within: self-control, discipline, and the realization that death does not discriminate. My safety and the safety of others matters more than any Snap, any song, or any moment of distraction. I know that split decisions last forever.

Distracted driving is a serious risk, and even though it looks different from impairment, the outcomes are the same. My grandfather’s story ended because of a decision he made to get behind the wheel and that decision changed my father’s story forever. I want to write my own story, and be in full control of every chapter, because November 1994 is the darkest chapter of my father’s life and he didn’t get to hold the pen.