When you order a taxi the last thing on your mind is that you may be involved in a road traffic accident. You expect the taxi driver to arrive on time, and get you from A to B with little cost as possible. Unfortunately that isn’t always the case. With the increase of congestion on our roads, accidents are becoming more and more common.
That’s why it’s important that when you get in a taxi you make sure you wear your seatbelt. This simple procedure really could save your life or prevent you from serious injury.
When you travel in a taxi during the day you will be fully aware of what’s going on, and may even take note of the way the taxi driver is driving. However after a night out this could be a completely different story.
When people get a taxi home after a night out they may have been drinking, which means they will not be able to concentrate properly. They may have blurred vision or will not be taking in what’s going on around them. It is the taxi driver’s job to make sure he concludes their journey and they depart the vehicle in a safe place. This means he should not let them get out anywhere that could cause them harm, for example on a dual carriageway.
Taxi drivers may work long shifts, or through the night, it is their responsibility to make sure that they do not become tired at the wheel, and take regular breaks to prevent this happening.
If you are a passenger of a taxi that becomes involved in a road traffic accident and you suffer injury because of this then you may be able to make a compensation claim. As a passenger in the taxi you are seen as the innocent party. You had no involvement in the accident, so your claim should be pretty much straight forward.
After the accident it is important to take down the name and identification number of the taxi driver, this should be on show in the vehicle. You should also take down the names and contact details of any witnesses to the accident, also try to record the date, time and location of the accident.
Like with any other accident you should report it to the police, they may then attend the scene of the accident and carry out any necessary arrangements for vehicles to be moved. If you or any of the other passengers in the vehicle have been injured you may be taken to the hospital by the emergency services. If this happens you will be able to obtain the taxi drivers details along with all other necessary information from the police at a later date.
If you are a passenger and are unfortunate enough to become involved in a taxi accident, you still have the right to make a claim for compensation. If you would like to speak to one of our lawyers about a compensation claim then the Injury Lawyers can help. Like all compensation claims it is better to contact us sooner rather than later, as all compensation claims have a three year time limit.
