Driver Caught Praying Without Hands on Wheel, Officer Responds
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
National traffic police in Israel's Lachish region stopped a driver who was praying with both hands off the wheel. The police officer, also a person of faith, cautioned the driver about the danger. In a separate incident during the same operation, one driver was fined 1,000 shekels for cutting into traffic lines at Plugot Junction. These actions are part of a national initiative to reduce road deaths.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A driver was caught praying with both hands off the steering wheel in Israel's Lachish region.
- The police officer involved stated she is also a person of faith and prays daily.
- The driver admitted to the unsafe behavior, saying "I know I am not right."
- One driver was fined 1,000 shekels for cutting into traffic lines at Plugot Junction.
- The enforcement is part of a national program aimed at reducing road fatalities.
During a traffic enforcement operation in the Lachish region, national traffic police officers stopped a female driver who was observed praying and reading from a prayer book while her hands were off the steering wheel and her gaze was directed away from the road. The officers noticed the driver holding the prayer book with both hands, prompting them to ask her to pull over for unsafe driving.
In a documented conversation, the police officer explained the severity of the action to the driver, stating, "I am also a person of faith, I also pray every morning. We noticed you holding a prayer book with both hands while driving, your gaze is directed downwards and then back to the road, your hands are not on the steering wheel. The slightest braking by the person in front of you and I will meet you at another incident." The driver admitted her wrongdoing, saying, "I know I am not right."
Separately, during the same operation, officers at the Plugot Junction addressed instances of "road bullying." They observed vehicles cutting into traffic lines, disregarding the rights of drivers waiting lawfully, forcing others to brake suddenly or swerve, which could lead to accidents. One driver who committed such an offense was fined 1,000 shekels.
These enforcement activities are part of a joint operation between the Traffic Division and the National Road Safety Authority, titled 'Committed to Life,' a national program aimed at combating road fatalities.
Mentioned
