Back seat drivers
No one is immune to road risk, but there are steps we can take to protect ourselves and others, says LNER’s Rich Farish.
In the time it’s taken you to read this edition of Right Track, someone will have been killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads. Whether it is the vehicle driver, a passenger in that vehicle, or a pedestrian that gets killed or seriously injured, the end result is the same. Lives irrevocably changed.
We’re all exposed to road vehicles in one way or another, so no one is immune to the inherent risks presented by road vehicles, such as taxis. Taxis are often used for moving our people around, to and from depots, for example, and during disruption and engineering work. A high number of these journeys are at night or early morning.
Studies have shown that alertness-related crashes tend to take place:
on roads with higher speed limits
between midnight and daybreak
where a vehicle ran off the road or hit a stationary object such as another vehicle.
Unlike trains and buses, there isn’t the same level of regulation for taxi drivers when it comes to medical fitness and working hours. This lack of regulation makes it difficult to monitor and enforce health and safe driving practices. So, we rely on taxi drivers to identify when they are feeling less alert and to take the appropriate actions. The sedentary nature of the job also leads to health issues that can affect alertness, such as obesity and sleep apnoea.
Whilst most taxi drivers take their responsibilities seriously, occasionally one will try to burn the candle at both ends, putting them, their passengers, and other road users at risk. As a passenger in a road vehicle, we can sometimes feel powerless to intervene when we feel unsafe with the way the vehicle is being driven. But there are some simple steps that you can take.
There's an issue if the driver is:
frequently yawning/rubbing their eyes
making involuntary or sudden movements, such as head dropping
reacting slowly to the road ahead or braking suddenly and sharply
drifting out of the lane or making sudden or unnecessary changes in speed
carrying the incorrect identification.
Act immediately by:
speaking to the driver. Be direct and express your concerns.
asking the driver to pull over at a safe location, such as a service station, and leave the vehicle.
Report the taxi driver
Report the issue to the police if there is an immediate safety concern or there has been an accident.
Always report any issues with company-provided road transport to your employer in line with their reporting systems.