Taxi Driver Protection

The safety of the taxi drivers is a key issue within the industry as the job takes them to some places that can be dangerous and also the great variety of people they have in their vehicles can also cause a threat to the driver. Over the last few years attacks on taxi drivers have become more and more frequent; this is why the security measures with in the vehicles have had to be increased accordingly.

One of the most secure taxis in the modern taxi world happens to be one of the traditional cars used the 'London Black Cab'. However, unlike the old traditional cars used for the service the new ones have many security features below are some examples and their purpose.

• Most have a large plastic screen behind the driver separating the driver from the passenger. It has a hole just large enough for the exchange of cash meaning there can be no physical contact between the passenger and driver if any violent behaviour were to occur. This was developed not long after attacks on taxi drivers started happening more often and has worked extremely efficiently. Unlike a lot of other safety systems this system is fairly cheap in price but great in performance.
• Some have an auto door lock system that causes the doors to lock automatically when the vehicle is stationary. This stops people being able to run out on the taxi driver with out paying the fare when stopped in traffic or when he has pulled over at the end of the journey. This system varies in price depending where you have the work completed but is still very effective for the price as it stops you loosing money in the long run, so still an advisable investment. Your best option is to shop around as there are many places through out the country that offer the service, just make sure they are fully licensed to carry out the work on your vehicle.
• More drastic safety measures such as security cameras are being installed into many cabs especially cabs that don't have the dividing screen. Basic systems can cost around 600 but provide the taxi driver with evidence or is a great help if the person isn't caught straight away to act as a way of identifying the person responsible. They are advisable pieces of equipment to own if the driver is working in particular areas where crime is high or there is a large, varied population.
• There are some taxi drivers that have installed a type of panic alarm so if they are attacked or wish to have assistance they push a button that sets off an alarm out side the vehicle so any one nearby knows the driver is in trouble. There have even been ones developed where the taxi driver can personalise the alert with a voice over stating that the person in the car is being attacked. These are fairly cheap systems although with there not being a great amount in action at the moment their effectiveness is still to be proven, many trouble starters are scared off in general just by the alarm being sounded.

These safety measures are a small price to pay for the protection of drivers from some of the dangers faced when on the job. With the chance of having to deal with violent intoxicated people it is advisable to have at least one of the safety measures in place before driving through the night as that is the prime time for trouble to start.