“Ask a Priest: Should I Tell the Truth About Texting Before a Car Accident?”

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest
Q: Over the winter I was in a car accident. The accident happened as I was driving down a wet hill, glancing at my phone. I was texting a friend as I was on my way toward his house, and this is something that I know was wrong. However, as I looked up and saw headlights coming from around a turn in the hill, I noticed I was hovering over the center line quite a bit. I tried to direct my steering wheel back onto my side of the road. Eventually I slid into the back side of the oncoming car. Following the car accident an officer was asking me some questions about the accident. When asked about being distracted while driving, I quickly said no, not wanting him to think I was texting and driving. Following the accident, I talked with my family’s insurance agent about the wreck also, and I told him I had no distractions. This bothered me after the accident, and I asked my dad about it, but I tried to justify this answer because the accident could have still happened nonetheless. Recently, I have wanted to e-mail the police department about this incident and be straightforward with them. Maybe they could alter the police report. Matthew 5:24 says to make right with others and then bring it to God. However, at the same time the Bible also tells us not to think to extremes. Other examples come to mind when I was not straightforward with a police officer, should I address these? Where do I draw the line? – B.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It sounds as though your conscience is already leading you in a certain direction.

First, it might be good to consider coming clean with Our Lord, by going to confession and making a firm commitment not to text and drive at the same time any more (a dangerous act) and to stick to the truth.

You might extend that commitment to the truth to coming clean about the accident report with the police. The accident could have been avoided, had it not been for the texting. And the insurance company might have ended up paying out more money than it should have in this case. This would be an offense against justice.

This could be a defining moment for you. If you don’t come clean, will this hang over your conscience?

The danger here in the long term is that you could end up forcing yourself to ignore your conscience — which can have dire consequences later on. Worse, this ignoring of your conscience could be a step closer to stifling it altogether.

This is something you might want to take to prayer. Remember the words of Jesus: “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!