Section 5: Driver safety

Section 5: Driver safety

This section gives you information on how you can stay safe when working

Angry or violent behaviour when at work is never acceptable. If a passenger in your taxi becomes angry or violent, you have a right to say that you will not accept that behaviour. If that fails to stop them being angry or violent, and it is safe to do so, you can ask them to leave.

You should never accept any bad behaviour towards you. Any offensive (rude and upset ting) or violent behaviour towards you because of your race, faith, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity is a hate crime. If you experience or witness this type of behaviour, we strongly advise you to report it to the police so that it can be fully investigated and Action taken against the offender. You should report incidents to the police as soon as possible: call 101 or report a crime online, or call 999 in an emergency.

Protecting yourself

To provide a safe service for your passengers and to protect you as a driver, you should consider doing the following:

• When plying for hire, keep your doors locked and only unlock the rear doors when you are satisfied that a passenger isn’t drunk and you know what destination they want to go to
• At vulnerable times, for example late at night on an empty street, ask passengers to pay through the hatch before getting out of the taxi as this is safer than paying from outside at the window. Alternatively, ask the passenger to pay through the nearside window as this is further away from you
• For pre-booked journeys, make sure you have the passenger‘s name, pick- up point and destination, and check the passenger‘s name and destination before they get in the taxi – this will help make sure the passenger doesn’t get into the wrong taxi
• If there are any delays during a journey, be clear with the passenger about exactly where you are taking them, the route there, how long it is likely to take and confirm what the fare will be before the journey starts
• Carrying a lone worker device
• Do not get into an argument or react in a negative way stay calm and avoid taking things personally
• Think carefully about the situation and ask yourself if someone’s behaviour indicates they are intoxicated (are drunk or have taken drugs) or unwell When you communicate with them, keep a distance from them. If they are with anyone who is not intoxicated, ask that person to take responsibility. Always be polite but firm
• Call the police on 999 if the situation gets worse and you feel that you may be in immediate danger
• After any incident, make a detailed record of what happened

All these steps should reduce the risk of any disagreements.

If a passenger is aggressive or violent, stop your taxi and ask them politely to get out. In an emergency, call the police on 999.

Warning signs of possible aggressive behaviour

Some behaviour is a sign that someone is becoming more angry and upset. Be aware of the following signs that someone might become aggressive:

• Tapping their fingers
• Crossed arms
• Hands held in fists (tightly closed hands)
• Aggressive staring (looking at you for a long time)
• A loud voice
• An angry expression
• A sudden change in behaviour
• A change to the voice

Trust your own feelings and never ignore these signs. If you feel worried, act immediately. Remember, the earlier you notice a possible problem, the more choices you have to avoid it.

For further advice, read the DfT ‘s guidance on staying safe for taxi and PHV drivers.

Drugs and alcohol

When someone has taken drugs or has drunk alcohol, it can affect their ability to think or communicate clearly. Their behaviour can be difficult to predict. In some cases they may become aggressive.

If the passenger cannot communicate clearly to confirm their destination, or is unable to walk because of drink or drugs, you have the right to refuse to take them in your taxi. You can do this because you cannot be sure that they have given you the correct address or that they will be able to get out of your taxi without help.

In this situation, if possible, insist that a friend comes with them in your taxi, or ask to speak to a friend of the passenger by telephone to confirm the destination.

If the passenger is unconscious, extremely unwell or seems to be injured or in an emergency situation, and there is no one else to help them, call the emergency services on 999 and stay with them until the services arrive. If the passenger is being aggressive or violent, move somewhere that is safe for you but where you can still see the person until the emergency services arrive.

Think about your personal safety first and do not put yourself at risk.

Reducing the risk of violence in a difficult situation

There are certain things you can do to reduce the chance of someone being violent or aggressive towards you. These can include:

• Talking calmly and not raising your voice
• Listening to what someone is saying and not interrupting them
• Responding to the person’s concerns
• Asking questions
• Explaining things to them, not arguing
• Having a pre-planned way to excuse yourself from a difficult situation. For example, you can’t help them but perhaps someone at the address you are taking them to can sort the problem out for them
• Explaining how you will deal with unacceptable behaviour if it continues. For example, you will have to stop the taxi and possibly call the police unless they stop being aggressive or violent

If you cannot reduce the risk of violence

Sometimes you are not able to calm a situation. If that is the case, you should:

• Get away from the aggressive person and exit the situation. If necessary, find somewhere safe to stop, turn off the engine, take the keys then get out of the taxi. If the passenger is planning to hurt you, they will probably get out of the taxi too. This gives you the opportunity to quickly get back in and lo ck the doors then drive away if it is safe to do so
• Consider using a lone worker app or device to let someone know that you need help – a range of different apps and devices can be found by searching online
• If an incident happens while you are away from your taxi, get to your taxi when possible and try to take time to calm down before you drive off

After an incident:

• Try to talk about what happened with a friend or colleague
• Find out if any support is available by reading our health and wellbeing advice for licensees
• Report the incident to help avoid it happening in future

What to do if you are at tacked or assaulted

If you are at tacked or assaulted, call the police and/or an ambulance, depending on the incident.

It is important to record and report incidents that almost happened, as well as ones that actually did happen.

When you are recording an incident, try to include the following details:

• When and where the incident happened
• Information about the attacker (name and address if known, description of clothing, age, gender)
• Whether the at tacker was a passenger
• Brief description of the incident
• Anything that might have caused the incident to take place
• Details of any witnesses
• Type of incident – verbal threat, physical assault, written threat
• Description of any injuries
• Description of the immediate action that you to ok

CCTV cameras

Installing TfL-approved in-vehicle CCTV cameras in your taxi can reduce threats and violence against you. Signs in the taxi informing passengers that CCTV is used may also help to prevent aggressive or violent behaviour.

You can buy or rent a TfL-approved CCTV device. Although this is an extra cost, having a CCTV camera may reduce the cost of insurance. This is because a video recording can be useful evidence when there is a dispute with a passenger.

The Information Commissioner’s CCTV Code of Practice requires you to display signage when you have CCTV in your taxi. A TfL CCTV sign must be displayed in a position that is easy for passengers to see as they enter the vehicle and while they are travelling, and must not block the driver‘s view. The sign should state who the data controller is and how to contact them (for example, by phone or email).