Name: Gema Mora-Aguirre
From: Las Vegas, Nevada
Votes: 2
A $20 or $30 Uber ride is nothing compared to the cost of hospital bills, court fees, or living with the guilt of injuring someone. That sums up how I see impaired driving, it’s not worth the risk, no matter how confident or capable you think you are.
To me, impaired driving means operating a vehicle when you’re not fully able to focus or think clearly, preventing you from being able to make safe choices. It happens when a driver is mentally or physically distracted by alcohol, drugs, exhaustion, or even something as simple as texting. Many people think it only means being drunk behind the wheel, but it includes anything that can affect your focus or reaction time and puts lives at risk. The word “impaired” itself is often misunderstood, even by people who have taken driver’s education or traffic school. Some assume it only applies to those with visible or physical disabilities that affect movement or coordination. In reality, impairment is much broader and often invisible that can either be emotional, mental, and or even chemical. For example, someone might think they’re “fine” after a drink or a dose of medication, but their reaction time and focus are already slipping. Many people don’t realize how quickly their judgment changes, and they end up thinking they’re okay to drive when they’re not. That kind of confidence is exactly what leads to serious accidents.
In my opinion, the most common forms of impairment today are substance use and fatigue. Alcohol and drugs still play a major role in crashes and fatalities, but tiredness is just as dangerous. Society moves fast, and people are constantly pushing themselves to keep up with long hours, heavy workloads, and little rest. Nurses working double shifts, construction workers spending long hours under the sun, or office employees staying late to meet deadlines all face exhaustion that makes them unsafe behind the wheel. When your brain is foggy and your reflexes are slow, it’s hard to respond quickly to sudden dangers like a car braking in front of you or someone crossing the street.
Substances can make this even worse by dulling your senses and lowering your inhibitions, which leads to reckless decisions. Distractions like texting or eating while driving can also have a similar effect. When your hands, eyes, or mind are off the road, even for a few seconds, you lose control of the situation. Fatigue, substances, and distractions all reduce a driver’s ability to notice danger until it’s too late.
My understanding of impaired driving is personal. Growing up, I had family members who often drank and still chose to drive. As a kid, I didn’t understand why it was considered dangerous and why my family tried to prevent it from happening. It just seemed like chaos at the time. But as I got older, I realized those moments weren’t about being controlling, they were about our safety and the safety of those out on the road. Years later, I had my own life-changing experience with impaired driving. On my way to work one day, a driver under the influence of marijuana crashed into my car and another vehicle. The other driver was critically injured and remained in a coma for four months. My own car was totaled, and I was left with severe bruises and a hip injury that still affects me today. The impaired driver walked away without visible injuries. That moment completely changed how I see driving. It taught me how fragile life is and how one careless decision can destroy so much in a matter of seconds.
Because of these experiences, I believe driver’s education and traffic school are key to preventing impaired driving. These programs are not just about memorizing traffic laws, they’re also about shaping responsibility and awareness. When done effectively, they encourage accountability and self-reflection. Adding real-life stories, survivor testimonies, and interactive lessons can help students truly understand the emotional impact of impaired driving. These programs shouldn’t just be offered one time throughout high school, it should be continuous throughout life. Offering them at workplaces, community centers, and through public campaigns helps remind adults that safety isn’t a one-time lesson that they learn in high school. To make these lessons stick, they need to be personal and relatable. People learn best when they can see how their choices affect others. Teaching empathy, understanding how your actions ripple out to everyone around you, is just as important as teaching laws and penalties.
For me, preventing impaired driving starts with being responsible and setting an example. It’s easy to think, “I’ll be fine,” or “It’s just a short drive,” but those thoughts can lead to tragedy. I never want to be the reason someone doesn’t make it home. That’s why I always speak up if someone I know tries to drive while impaired, and I offer them another way home. I also share my own story whenever I can because I know that hearing a real experience can make people stop and think twice. If I can convince even one person to hand over their keys or call a ride, then it’s worth it.
Impaired driving isn’t just about broken laws but about broken lives. Understanding that truth is what drives me to stay cautious, stay aware, and help others do the same. Change starts with awareness, but it stays through action, compassion, and accountability. Sometimes it really is as simple as taking the Uber.
