Published on Thursday, June 21, 2007
in the Gainesville Sun

Troopers welcome traffic commandments

GAINESVILLE - Thou shalt drive safely and courteously.

So says the Vatican, which earlier this week, issued "Ten Commandments" for motorists. The rules ask drivers to help others, such as accident victims and their families, and urge them to respect other motorists.

Some local officers said they're happy to have the Vatican weigh in on the issue. The call from the Roman Catholic Church for better driving habits may get more people to drive responsibly and with more care for their fellow motorists, they said.

"This is a welcome event for any law enforcement agency. We know that bad driving is beginning to grow into a national pandemic. It's come to the point where it's a recognized problem," said Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Mike Burroughs.

On Florida roads, 3,533 people died in 2005, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. That was 276 more than in 2004.

"This is a medium we could use to reach a lot of drivers, which hasn't been utilized to its potential in the past. We're hoping that other denominations follow suit," Burroughs said.

Burroughs said some people may find the commandments humorous. But, he said, "Even if it's something that's water-fountain talk, it's still going to cause a person to look inwardly at their own bad driving habits."

The Diocese of St. Augustine, which covers Alachua County, is not starting any programs about the commandments for drivers, according to the Rev. Mike Morgan, the diocese's chancellor.

The Rev. Roland Julian, priest at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, said the message behind the rules for motorists isn't a "denominational thing."

Gainesville Police Sgt. Anthony Ferrara, who oversees the agency's Traffic Safety Team, agreed with Burroughs that the Vatican's rules could help reach more people than officers have about the dangers of bad driving.

Although there's no mention of the consequences for not following the rules, Ferrara said, "I'm under the impression that a lot of people will feel there's an opportunity to live an even better life if they follow these guidelines."