Since Christmas is one of the busiest travel times of the year, many of us have probably recently spent some time behind the wheel. If we did, we may have encountered some frustration or concern with other drivers during that time. 

 

While it may not always be at the forefront of many people’s examination of conscience, our driving habits certainly have a moral component to them. 

 

If we were to look at the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it doesn’t have a great deal to say about driving directly, but we can find some basic answers in other areas of the Church’s moral teaching that will shed light on this one. 

 

Looking at what the Church says about the Fourth and Fifth Commandment will be especially helpful. For purposes here, I’ll discuss each commandment in a separate column as it relates to this issue. 

 

The Fifth Commandment (“Thou shall not kill”) encompasses all of those behaviors and choices which can threaten human life and dignity. Clearly, this can include driving — especially if it is done in such a way that puts oneself or others at undue risk. This would include any number of things, such as reckless or impaired driving — from excessive speeding to intoxicated driving (see CCC 2290). 

 

Intentionally doing things which can impair our ability not only creates risks for ourselves or others, but insofar as we choose them we also assume moral responsibility for what may happen as a result. Risky driving is perhaps a rather obvious breech of the basic respect for human life we’re called to show. 

 

But there are other ways this commandment could be broken while driving as well. Being an uncharitable driver toward others can be a failure to keep the commandment even if we’re not breaking any traffic law or driving recklessly in the process. Our internal or external reactions to them can at times involve a lack of charity (Mt 5:22). This may be true even if another driver does something objectively wrong prompting our reaction. 

 

Being upset or bothered is one thing, being uncharitable is another. Here again, some of this is probably rather obvious. But there can be yet other, even less obvious ways we fail to live up to the demands of the commandment while driving. 

 

Take for example, driving slow. We’ve all been there. In that long line of cars following that one driver who is driving 15 or 20 miles an hour below the speed limit when the road conditions and weather are fine. 

 

What is morally wrong with driving well below the speed limit? In most cases, nothing. Unless one’s intentions are themselves failures in charity. For instance, if it is motivated by a kind of passive aggressiveness toward others. 

 

But even apart from this, driving slow can also at times be an indication of selfishness. Inconveniencing others so that I get to drive the way that I want — even if others would have a reasonable right to drive faster given the conditions — can be an act of selfishness. 

 

Likewise, I may be contributing to other people’s frustration or impatience knowingly and unnecessarily in the process. I may even be making driving for others more dangerous depending on the number of drivers following me or the lack of ability for them to pass. 

 

At a certain point, if I choose to drive considerably slower than the speed limit (when it would be reasonable to drive faster), charity may mean simply pulling over for a few seconds allowing the cars behind me to pass if it can be done safely. 

 

Even if we may not always think of our driving in moral terms, there are multiple ways in which it does involve moral choices. Driving can be a very real opportunity to show or grow in charity, or a place where we fail to show it, by how we choose to go about it.