Road Safety Week: Top Tips for Taxi Driver Safety
Each year, Road Safety Week is held to highlight the importance of keeping our roads safe.
It’s estimated that five people are killed each day on UK roads but with small changes to driving behaviours, this can be prevented.
Table of Contents
2. The history of Road Safety Week
3. Tips to improve road safety as a taxi driver
4. Spread the word about Road Safety Week as a taxi driver
What is Road Safety Week?
Road Safety Week 2023 is taking place next week 19th – 25th November. The annual week-long event advocates the importance of practicing safe driving behaviours to make UK roads safer.
This year’s Road Safety Week 2023 campaign theme is ‘Let’s talk about speed’. The campaign aims to spark conversations amongst drivers, communities, and businesses on speed.
The history of Road Safety Week
Road Safety Week was established in the UK by road safety charity Brake in 1997.
The charity was founded in 1995 and supports people who have lost a loved one through a road traffic accident. They also support people involved in accidents, including emergency service staff.
As well as Road Safety Week, Brake also runs community projects and national campaigns to raise awareness of road safety. A free support service – The National Road Victim Service is also offered by the charity.
Tips to improve road safety as a taxi driver
Taxi driver fatigue management
Long hours and late nights are the norm as a taxi driver. But tiredness can kill.
It’s recommended that you don’t drive for longer than six hours without taking regular breaks. Even a small 15 minute break can prevent accidents on the road.
Even if you have been driving for less than six hours and start to feel tired, pull over and take a short break.
Getting at least eight hours of sleep is recommended for all adults. If you regularly work the night shift, prioritise getting eight hours shut eye during the day.
Warning signs of driver fatigue include:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Yawning
- Heaviness in the eyes, or feeling like you are starting to drop off
Navigation and distraction
As a taxi driver, you always need to stay connected to find out when your next job is and may use a sat nav for unfamiliar locations.
But it’s important to not let these things distract you. Always be sure to use a hands-free device if you rely on apps on the road.
Research conducted by THINK! Shows that you are four times more likely to be involved in an accident when using a mobile phone. Using a phone whilst driving your taxi also makes your reaction times two times slower.
Customer safety
You have a duty of care to your passengers. Driving your taxi safely and responsibly is crucial to the safety of all on board.
Ensure that any passengers travelling in your taxi have their seatbelts fastened and all luggage is securely stored.
If you have a wheelchair-accessible taxi, be sure to help any passengers with mobility issues enter and exit the taxi safely. It’s also vital to securely store any wheelchairs in case they do move around on the road.
Stick to speed limits
Adhering to speed limits is vital year-round, even more so with the theme of Road Safety Week 2023 being ‘Let’s talk about speed’.
If your taxi is driving over the speed limit, it becomes more difficult to react to any potential hazards on the road. Your taxi will become harder to control and your braking distances will suffer. All these things could contribute to an accident.
Always remember that speed limits are the maximum speed you should be travelling at. Driving even slightly over the speed limit increases the likelihood of an accident.
Weather awareness
As the winter months creep in, weather conditions change dramatically. Snow, fog, ice, heavy rain, and strong winds are just a few of the challenges you face as a taxi driver.
It’s important to adjust your driving in these conditions to avoid putting you and your passengers at risk.
A few tips for driving in adverse weather conditions include:
- Increasing the distance between your car and the one in front
- Reducing your speed
- Braking slowly and gently
For more guidance, read our article on how to drive safely in snow, rain, and fog.
Pedestrian and cyclist safety
Road safety is not only about keeping other road users safe but also pedestrians and cyclists.
Many new taxis offer safety features that can detect pedestrians or cyclists to prevent any accidents. But if your taxi doesn’t have this feature, it’s important to keep an eye out at all times.
When a pedestrian is hit by a car at 40mph, the likelihood of death is four times higher than at 30mph.
If your taxi is travelling around a cyclist, always leave plenty of space and watch out for any signals to indicate their actions. Always make sure that you are signalling too, so cyclists know your next move.
When your taxi is parked up, always have a quick glance before opening any doors and check blind spots before pulling away.
With darker nights it can be hard to spot any pedestrians crossing the road. Make sure to check all your interior and exterior mirrors in case anybody is walking behind your taxi.
Always reduce your speed on approaching a zebra crossing, even if the pedestrian is not on the crossing and remember that they have right of way.
Spread the word about Road Safety Week as a taxi driver
There are tonnes of ways to get involved in Road Safety Week 2023 as a taxi driver. Although safe driving habits should be put into practice all year round, think about any bad driving habits you may have picked up. This way you can then make a conscious effort to reverse these before it’s too late.
Other things you can do include:
- Educating yourself on road safety – head to Brake’s website and see how you can be a better road user.
- Fundraise – if you work for or run a taxi business, why not set up a fundraiser? Any money raised will continue to support the vital work that Brake do.
- Follow the Road Safety Week hashtag – stay up to date with everything going on during the week by following #RoadSafetyWeek2023 on social media.
Is your taxi due for an upgrade? With a new taxi, you can benefit from the latest safety features to help detect and prevent any accidents. There’s also less wear and tear with a new taxi to provide further peace of mind and safety on the road.
Contact us today to start your search and discover our taxi finance options.