This article will analyse and explain the trend in private hire and taxi collisions and what this means to private hire and taxi drivers in London. What they should do in the event of a non fault accident and tips of avoiding car accidents in general.
Private Hire and Taxi Collision Map 2016 - London
The collision map above has three colors symbolizing the number of accidents that occurred in the area. Green represents between 1-53 accidents, light blue represents between 54-106 accidents and the dark blue between 107-159 accidents in the filled in areas. These collisions include fatal, serious and slight collisions.
These numbers are not surprising as private hire drivers and taxi drivers spend most of their days on the road and have a higher probability of a collision. The wage being average on most parts means longer hours of driving resulting in a higher chance of a collision occurring. The map shows us that the most accidents occurred in central parts of London which is the busiest area of London by far.
What Will These Numbers Look Like In 2018
Due to Uber allowing people a way to earn independently as a Private Hire Driver without having to work for a minicab company, there has been a surge in PCO licenses being given out in the past few years. Therefore, this can only mean a critical increase in the number of collisions occurring in London, far more than ever before.
One of the reasons for this is, a lot of Uber drivers have shifted from part time driving to full time in search for a higher income. However, due to non stop hours on the road, this can only mean fatigue and loss of concentration on the road.
Many a times, customers request to get to their destinations faster and due to the review system in place for Uber Drivers, to get consistent work they feel obliged to listen to their customer. Irrational driving will also inevitably lead to car collisions and a huge expense on repair.
How To Avoid Car Collisions As a Private Hire / Taxi Driver
Following Crystal Claims two simple rules, you should be on your way to safe driving.
- Drive According To Road Rules - Do not feel like you have to drive fast because you don't. You will still get to where you want to go even if it takes a little longer but your life is more important.
- Take Frequent Breaks - Taking those nap times and frequent breaks might make you think that you could have taken on one more customer but we promise you that the break will lead to more customers served safely.
If I am In A Collision What Should I Do?
If you are unfortunate enough to be in a car accident then you should read our guide to 'What To Do If You Are In A Road Traffic Accident' and you will have all of the information you need to make sure you tackle the situation properly.
