Vatican's rules for the road: highway to heaven?

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican, taking a detour from its usual pronouncements on faith and morals, Tuesday issued "Ten Commandments" for motorists to promote greater traffic safety.

The commandments were part of a document, "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road," published by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.

Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the council, said at a news conference that the Vatican believed it necessary to address the pastoral needs of motorists because driving has become such a big part of contemporary life.

He cited World Health Organization statistics that said an estimated 1.2 million people are killed in crashes each year and up to 50 million are injured.

According to the council's guidelines, driving is a matter of virtue. Charity requires drivers to "allow someone who wishes to drive faster to pass," prudence forbids the use of cellphones behind the wheel and justice "requires that drivers have a full and precise knowledge of the Highway Code."

The document also recommends praying on the road, in particular the rosary, "which, due to its rhythm and gentle repetition, does not distract the driver's attention."

In a nod to Mr. Goodwrench, the guidelines said "the duty to have vehicles serviced should be respected."

There was no indication Pope Benedict XVI had approved of, or even read, the document. It was signed by Martino and his secretary, as is customary for lower-level documents routinely put out by the offices of the Vatican's vast bureaucracy.

Martino is known as something of a loose cannon, and occasionally his pronouncements have gotten him into trouble.

In 2003, he was rebuked by Vatican officials for telling a news conference the United States treated Saddam Hussein "like a cow" after his capture. Last week, he said Roman Catholics should stop donating money to Amnesty International because it had adopted a new policy calling for women to have access to abortion services in some circumstances. He also has expressed support for genetically modified foods and backed scientists who question the seriousness of climate change.

Material from The Associated Press is included in this report.