Ride-sharing services, such as Uber, are at the forefront of the most significant change to car transportation since Henry Ford introduced the assembly line. When it comes to the competition, regulated taxi companies, driving on the road can get a bit aggressive – especially when pedestrians flood the city streets.
Whether you’re a pedestrian taking a taxi or driving around one, we have provided some safety tips to help you avoid injury when you are travelling on the taxi-filled streets.
How to safely hail a taxi
When you’re hailing a taxi make sure you’re in a safe pedestrian area, such as the sidewalk to do so.
If a taxi is driving in the opposite direction and decides to get you, make sure to wait on the sidewalk until it comes to your side of the street so you don’t have to run across the busy street to get in.
If there’s no room against the sidewalk and you have to go out on the street, wait for the taxi to be fully stopped and make sure to check for oncoming cars or bicyclists when crossing.
It’s also very important to never accept a ride from an unmarked vehicle whose driver claims to be a taxi driver. This means the driver is not regulated by the city and you are putting your safety at risk of getting into an accident.
How to safely exit a taxi
When your trip is over and you’re getting ready to leave the taxi, make sure to have all your personal belongings with you.
First, you should try to exit the taxi on the side nearest to the sidewalk in order to avoid traffic. If this side is obstructed by another vehicle, garbage bin, fire hydrant or whatever it may be, that’s when you exit from the other door.
Before exiting the vehicle, make sure to look out the back window to check for any oncoming traffic or cyclists that you would cut off with your door. When the coast is clear, make sure to be aware of your surroundings and get yourself over to the nearest sidewalk as quickly as possible.
What to do when driving near a taxi
Since the battle between taxi drivers and Uber started there has been more of an aggressive focus of getting as many fares as possible. This means for other drivers on the road to stay alert of where taxis are around you.
Taxis can make a sudden stop or signal (maybe even no signal at all) across multiple lanes of traffic to either pick a fare up or getting someone to their destination.
If a taxi is trying to change lanes and doesn’t see you, by slowing down and honking your horn can help to prevent an accident.
Like a pedestrian would look out for oncoming traffic before exiting, it’s important to look out for a door opening behind a stopped taxi because you don’t know which side the person will exit from.
If you encounter taxis on a regular or even occasional basis, it’s crucial to follow these safety tips to ensure a safe ride for yourself and others on the street. Our lawyers at Harris Law have the experience to get you the compensation you deserve; we’ll even conduct our own investigation to determine who is at fault.
