The 36-page document was put together by the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant People. This is said to be the first time the Vatican has specifically dealt with the growing worldwide problem of road rage.

"Thou shalt not drive and drink," "thou shalt not make rude gestures behind the steering wheel" and "help accident victims" are among the 10 recommendations for motorists.

The document also warns that driving can bring out "primitive" behavior in motorists, including "cursing, blasphemy, loss of sense of responsibility."
It says that automobiles can be "an occasion of sin" -- particularly when they are used for dangerous overtaking or for prostitution.

Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the Vatican's council, said it was important to address the issue because driving had become a big part of contemporary life.

"We know that as a consequence of transgressions and negligence, 1.2 million people die each year on the roads," he said. "That's a sad reality, and at the same time a great challenge for society and the Church."

There is not much speeding going on in the Vatican City itself, the BBC's David Willey in Rome says. A 30km/h (19 mph) speed limit has been enforced for years in the tiny state.

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Lake Forest, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.