What It Means To Be Intexticated And Why You Should Avoid It At All Costs

Intexticated — ever heard of it? Probably not, but there's a chance you've been intexticated once or twice before. According to Collins Dictionary, intexticated is a term used to describe someone who is preoccupied with their phone while behind the wheel. As you might have guessed, it's a combination of texting and being intoxicated, but instead of having consumed too much alcohol, you're focused on reading or sending a text. Unfortunately, it happens too often. Out of the 220 million people with cell service, 80% of that population use their phone on the road, per the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Of course, we all want to check that text (what if brunch is canceled?), but nothing is so important, you need to take your eyes off of the road. You can make all the excuses you want, but at the end of the day, there is absolutely no reason to be sending or reading texts when you're driving. Being intexticated is no joke; there are serious consequences for this behavior, which is why you should avoid it at all costs.

Studies show that in 2020, nearly 400 people were killed in a car accident related to texting while driving (via Forbes). When you break that down, it equates to more than one person killed each day. The biggest problem with this statistic is each one of these deaths could have been avoided, but people chose their phones over their safety and the safety of others. As it's stated on many billboards and highway signs, no text is worth your life... and they're absolutely right.

Even if you survive a crash, you could have injuries that can affect you forever. Looking at that same data in 2020, we learned approximately 30,000 injuries were caused by people being distracted by their phones. Think about it: would you rather wait 20 minutes until you arrive at your destination to check your texts or potentially change your life in a matter of seconds? 

Not only is being intexticated dangerous, but it's also illegal. In an effort to control the number of car accidents caused by texting and driving, states began outlawing being intexticated in 2007, according to the Governors Highway Safety Administration. Washington was the first to start the movement, and not long after, other states followed suit. As of today, being distracted by your phone is illegal in 48 states, as well as the Virgin and Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam, per the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Despite these efforts, it's sad to say many people ignore the law and continue to get intexticated, putting themselves and others at risk. If you're caught doing it, you're more than likely faced with paying a hefty fine, and potentially jail time. What's even worse is that you could kill yourself and/or someone else. This is why you must avoid being intoxicated any time you get behind the wheel of a car.