Veterans: Do You Drive “Intexticated?”

When we were in service, every weekend safety brief warned us about the dangers of driving while intoxicated. And indeed, this is a problem in America: about 11,000 people die in America every year from drunk driving accidents. So yeah, we understand the dangers of intoxication behind the wheel, But what about “intextication?” You wouldn’t chug a bottle of whiskey and jump behind the wheel, right? Then why is it so easy to justify checking a text, scrolling your feed, or snapping a photo while driving?

“Intexticated”—it’s the perfect word for the digital-age driver drunk on distraction. A combination of “intoxicated” and “texting,” it captures the lethal blend of arrogance and inattention that’s turning our roads into combat zones.

The stats are unforgiving. Texting while driving increases the risk of a crash by 23 times. It takes an average of five seconds to read a text—enough time to travel the length of a football field blindfolded at 55 mph. And it’s not just texts. It’s DMs. It’s playlists. It’s taking that “quick” glance that costs someone their life.

Veterans know what it means to scan a road, to assess threats, to stay alert. That vigilance doesn’t end when the uniform comes off. It should extend to how we operate every vehicle. Every second you’re “intexticated,” you’re a danger—not just to yourself, but to every mother, father, kid, or soldier on that road.

This isn’t a lecture. It’s a gut check. If you’ve ever told yourself, “It’ll just take a second,” ask yourself: What’s worth more—this text or someone’s life?

You’ve fought for freedom. You’ve seen how fragile life is. Don’t let a screen steal your focus.

Drive like lives depend on it.

Because they do.

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Scott is a veteran of a half-dozen combat deployments and has served in several different Special Operations units over the course of his Army career. Scott’s writing focuses largely on veterans’ issues, but he is also a big proponent of Constitutional rights and has a deep interest in politics. He often allows other veterans who request anonymity to publish their work under his byline. Scott welcomes story ideas and feedback on his articles and can be reached at havokjournal@havokmedia.com. 

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.