Cab Belts

Today sees the introduction of double demerit points in New South Wales over the next eleven days. And the fines are not much fun especially where loss of licence is possible.

For some reason many passengers don't wear seat belts in taxis. Maybe they feel lucky. Whilst taxi drivers are obliged to request passengers buckle up, if adults decline then they're on their own if caught and liable to a fine of $213. However drivers must insist children under the age of 16 wear a belt and those under 1yo have a child restraint.

Here's the range of driver penalities, for those not wearing seat belts.

It’s a little known fact that NSW taxi drivers are exempt from wearing seat belts. This is due to safety concerns in the event of an attack where a driver can either be strangled or disabled by an attacker from behind, or is hindered from making a quick exit.

As a matter of habit I always wear a seat belt and consider my own chances of a road accident outweigh that of a passenger attack. Fortunately, in ten years of driving a cab I’ve yet to be assaulted. However I’ve been in one serious collision resulting in the taxi being written off. Strangely though in this collision, a head-on at 45 kph, I’m almost certain my belt failed to lock and I was only saved from injury by the air-bag.

It’s my view the seat belt exemption for cabbies should be regarded as a privilege and applied wisely. For example, there is generally more time driving Vacant than carrying passengers, a period when common sense dictates wearing a seat belt.

The chairman of the Pedestrian Council of Australia, Harold Scruby argues the seat belt exemption for taxi drivers is farcical,

"This is extremely dangerous, because in the event of a crash, an unbuckled driver (or passenger) can become a lethal weapon and kill or seriously injure other occupants of the vehicle. No passenger should be forced to face this potential risk, particularly as Australians have an "egalitarian" propensity to ride in the front seat of taxis, where such risks would be greatly enhanced.

Harold’s got a point regarding unrestrained taxi drivers in collisions. Notwithstanding that I’m an advocate for the cabbies seat belt exemption. Due to the high number of cabbies assaulted the last thing they need is a seat belt restraint during an attack.

Comments

[Anthony]

Got into an argument once with a cabbie when I tried to tell him his rear-seat belt was broken. I was not making a fuss, just passing on information. But he ignored me at first so I repeated what I said. He responded by shrugging indifference. I said that if we're pulled over I won't be paying the fine. Things then got a bit silly and he ended up pulling over and kicking me and my friend out. We got another cab straight away so there was no time lost and I'd saved about $10 off the fare. But I was still p!ssed off enough to report his number back to base which I had no intention of doing before.

[Jojo]

Adrian, what % of your passengers adopt the "egalitarian" attitude and sit in the front? I've always sat in the front when I'm on my own but I never realised it was actually because of my respect for Aussie mateship.

[adrian]

Anthony, some Ford model cabs have specific belt receivers in the rear. The centre lap belt will only lock with it's own receiver and not that of the door belt. It's a common problem and real bitch for unsuspecting passengers. I wonder if it wasn't this which you encountered.
Jojo, at night the majority of women ride it back whilst majority of men use the front. Men who choose the back usually don't want to interact which is fair enough. Often men will sit up front not for egalitarian reasons but to silently put pressure on the driver to stay focused. Yet I would advise people to ride up front purely for the airbag advantage.

[Krupo]

In Canada it seems to be common practice not to wear a belt in the cab - although usually you're doing short in-town trips so you never hit a speed much higher than 50-kph unless you're hopping on a highway somewhere.

Funny thing is when you fill a cab with 3 or 4 passengers and one of them goes in the front - the newer cabs have loud annoying alarms that sound when the passenger in the front doesn't buckle. Amusingly, it can be disabled by buckling the belt (although not necessarily putting the restraint *over* the passenger's body).

And yes, I know that it's just as stupid as going for a bike ride and leaving your helmet in your backpack, but whatever.

You've made me wonder if there's a specific law about wearing belts in Canadian cabs, though. I have no idea now.

[Anthony]

Adrian, the belt was definitely buggered. The cabbie just didn't want to know about it.

[Yobbo]

Anthony, I'm pretty sure you can't be fined if the belt is defective. You aren't required to wear a seatbelt in cars that don't have them fitted (anything made before say 1965).

If you are pulled over and can't buckle up due to a defective belt then the car will be ticketed, not you. So if it's a cab they'll get the yellow sticker.

[stackja1945]

Could Harold Scruby belt up?

[sandhu]

hi i am driving cabs in sydney for last five years last year during driving cab i got ticket for not wearing seat belt please tell me more information about seat belt exemption for taxi driver

[adrian]

Sandhu, your ticket does not apply to taxi drivers. You can appeal by writing to the Infringement Processing Bureau, quote the RTA section dealing with seat belt exemptions for cabbies, and demand a refund. Click the above link -'are exempt'.