Name: Carli Gargiulo
From: Tucson, AZ
Votes: 15
What does “impaired driving” mean to you? Why is it sometimes misunderstood, even by drivers who have completed driver’s education or traffic school?
I believe impaired driving can be described by any type of behavior that takes your full attention away from the road or alters your ability to maintain a clear and focused headspace. It seems to be sometimes misunderstood in my opinion, even by drivers who have completed driver’s education. I think that this is due to lack of staying up to date/ researching the current and proper laws pertaining to the specific state, and not enough media coverage on the less known forms of impaired driving. For example, when I moved to Arizona from Maryland, there were a few changes to the traffic laws that I did not know until I took a driver safety class for Arizona. In Maryland, a first-time DUI offense can lead to a temporary paper license, a 45-day suspension, and a fine while in Arizona a first offense could result in jail time, fines and a requirement to install an ignition interlock device. Regarding media coverage, it is standard to see commercials on drunk driving or texting while driving and the consequences, but commercials on driving while fatigued or simply distracted by a friend in the car are rarely included. I believe spreading more awareness on even the lesser thought of types of impaired driving would improve it being misunderstood.
What types of impairment, such as alcohol, drugs, texting, or fatigue, are most common among drivers today? How do they affect driving ability and contribute to unsafe behavior?
In my opinion, texting and drugs are most common among drivers today. In this day and age, everything we do involves multitasking. We can’t stand in line at the grocery store without being on our phones, and we are constantly consuming content. I think that the rise in social media usage has caused us to become more distracted in general, and this poses a danger when driving. When driving and looking at a phone, response times will be decreased, and when on the roads, anything can happen in the blink of an eye. Even if an accident isn’t necessarily the said driver’s fault, there’s a chance it could have been prevented by not being distracted. As far as driving under the influence of drugs, I believe specifically the use of marijuana is overlooked as causing distracted driving. Since marijuana is so easily accessible, and has positive health related benefits and treatments, people engage in the use of it more than they would with alcohol and fail to recognize how much it can slow your response time on the road. It alters the ability to be able to make safe and responsible decisions and have a clear and focused headspace.
Have you ever experienced or heard a story that changed the way you think about impaired driving? How did it shape your awareness or influence the choices you make behind the wheel?
When I was in high school, one of my classmates fell asleep while driving and crashed their car. This shaped my awareness on impaired driving by opening my eyes to the wide range of ways to drive impaired. At the time, impaired driving to me was defined by only drunk driving. I realized how important it is to be focused when driving, and this included making sure I was well rested and of the right state of mind.
How can driver’s education and traffic school courses help change attitudes and behaviors around impaired driving? What makes these programs effective in real-world situations?
Driver’s education and traffic school courses can help change attitudes and behaviors around impaired driving by showing individuals the impact that impaired driving can have on others and even their own lives. For example, providing the consequences of driving impaired, such as jail-time or license suspension, will make individuals think about how their decisions could seriously impact their own futures, not just the lives of others. In real-world situations, such as having a few beers at the bar and then deciding whether or not they are able to drive, instead of gauging their ability by a feeling, they could think back to the examples of consequences of impaired driving given to them in school, and this will influence them to make the safe decision to put the keys down and call an uber instead.
What role can you personally play in preventing impaired driving? How could your knowledge or training influence others to make safer decisions?
In order to prevent impaired driving, I can personally practice safe and focused driving. In the presence of my peers or to other drivers on the road, this will influence them to do the same. I can also spread awareness to my friends and family by sharing stories on the impact that impaired driving has had on people in our society’s lives. I can also hold my peers accountable by reminding them to practice safe driving and if they are going to make a decision that involves impaired driving. I can step in and if they are texting and offer to send the text from the passenger seat for them, or if they are about to get in the car after a few drinks, I can offer to drive them. It is important for us all to hold each other accountable as a society to make the difference that is needed to eradicate impaired driving.
