Thou Shalt Not Drive Drunk

I blogged recently that DWI is not a moral failure. DWI happens.
I may have been wrong. It seems the Pope must be an IWTS fan. Today the Vatican Released the “Drivers’ Ten Commandments.” These new commandments as listed by the document, are:

1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in
a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate
time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.

DWI does not even garner a direct mention in the top 10. Where is the Italian MADD lobby?

I guess number 5 could apply to DWI. Does “charitably convince” include arrest, incarceration, and ignition interlock?

7, 8, 10 seem to directly denounce stingy insurance companies who don’t help accident victims. I wonder if I can use that in my car accident practice?

In our case you have to read the dicta to find a direct mention of alcohol. The paper mentions that all those who enganger others on the road are gravely guilty, whether through drunkeness or love of speed.

Basically all careless driver’s are equally morally responsible for the accidents they cause. That is a good lesson. DWI accidents are accidents after all. The same type of accidents that are caused by changing the radio station, talking on your cell phone, eating in the car, daydreaming, driving too fast, etc.

I would argue that .08 is not a level of intoxication that endagers others and that the many drivers who drink are responsible and make it home without endangering anyone. That is probably why I am not Pope.

Labels: DWI

<img src="http://www.blogge says:

June 19, 2007 at 11:46 am

After getting all of Pope Benedict’s luggage loaded into the limo, (and he doesn’t travel light), the driver notices that the Pope is still standing on the curb. “Excuse me, Your Holiness,” says the driver, “Would you please take your seat so we can leave?””Well, to tell you the truth,” says the Pope, “they never let me drive at the Vatican when I was a cardinal, and I’d really like to drive today.””I’m sorry, Your Holiness, but I can’t let you do that. I’d lose my job! And what if something should happen?” protests the driver, wishing he’d never gone to work that morning.”Who’s going to tell? Besides, there might be something extra in it for you,” says the Pope with a smile.Reluctantly, the driver gets in the back as the Pope climbs in behind the wheel. The driver quickly regrets his decision when, after exiting the airport, the Pontiff floors it, accelerating the limo to 105 mph. (Remember, he’s a German Pope.)”Please slow down, Your Holiness!!!” pleads the worried driver, but the Pope keeps the pedal to the metal until they hear sirens.”Oh, dear God, I’m gonna lose my license — and my job!” moans the driver. The Pope pulls over and rolls down the window as the cop approaches, but the cop takes one look at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and gets on the radio. “I need to talk to the Chief,” he says to the dispatcher.Chief gets on the radio and the cop tells him that he’s stopped a limo going a hundred and five miles an hour.”So bust him,” says the Chief.”I don’t think we want to do that, he’s really important,” said the cop.The Chief exclaimed,” All the more reason!””No, I mean really important,” said the cop with a bit of persistence.The Chief then asked, “Who ya got there, the Mayor?”Cop: “Bigger.”Chief:” Governor?”Cop: “Bigger””Well,” said the Chief, “Who is it?”Cop: “I think it’s God!”The Chief is even more puzzled and curious: “What makes you think it’s God?”Cop: “He’s got the Pope as a chauffeur.”