Israeli traffic police pulled over a driver who was reading from a siddur, a Jewish prayer book, while behind the wheel. She was holding the book with both hands and kept taking her eyes off the road, police said.
Traffic Police Enforcement Operation
Driver Caught Praying From Siddur at Wheel
A traffic police officer pulled over a woman who was holding a prayer book in both hands while driving, warning her that the slightest braking ahead could have ended in a crash.
Officers from the National Traffic Police's Lachish unit spotted the woman during an enforcement operation targeting life-threatening traffic offenses. She was told to stop at the side of the road for careless driving.
Police released footage of the conversation that followed, in which a female officer tried to explain to the driver how dangerous her behavior had been.
"I'm also a believer, I also pray every morning," the officer began. "We saw you holding a siddur with both hands while driving. Your eyes keep dropping down and coming back to the road, and your hands aren't on the wheel. The slightest braking by whoever is in front of you, and I'm meeting you at a very different kind of incident."
The driver admitted she was at fault. "I know I'm in the wrong," she said.
During the same operation, officers from the unit also cracked down on aggressive driving at Plugot Junction. They caught drivers cutting past the traffic jam and pushing in ahead of motorists who were waiting their turn lawfully. Police said the maneuver forces other drivers to brake or swerve and could cause an accident.
One driver who failed to yield at the junction was fined NIS 1,000.
The enforcement is part of "Committed to Life," a joint operation of the Israel Police Traffic Division and the National Road Safety Authority. The national program aims to reduce deaths on Israel's roads.
צילום: Photo: Israel Police Spokesperson's Unit
