Safety is a real issue for Private Hire
drivers male or female By Pam Powers
Most of the time, I love my job! I know some • Controllers should be clear with the most risks of violence, especially as many
R I \ R X O R Q J W H U P H U V Z L O O V D \ W K D W · V E H F D X V H , passenger about exactly where you are passengers will have been drinking. Make
K D Y H Q · W E H H Q G R L Q J L W I R U O R Q J H Q R X J K D Q G \ R X · U H taking them and what the fare will be sure you are not tired - you need to be alert
S U R E D E O \ U L J K W % X W G H V S L W H W K H L Q F U H D V L Q J O \ O R Q J before you set off. at all times.
wait between jobs and the longer hours needed • If accepting a long distance booking, • Trust your instinct - you have the right to
to earn enough to pay my bills, the rush hour controllers should be clear with the refuse a passenger if you think they may
W U D I À F D Q G W K H U R D G Z R U N V , Z R X O G P X F K U D W K H U passenger if the driver is going to ask for present a risk.
be doing this than any of my previous jobs. payment up-front. • Only open the windows enough to speak
90% of my customers are nice, often interesting • If the passenger changes the journey to people without them being able to reach
people, only a few are not! that they booked let them know what the
in. Only let them sit in the front of the car
revised fare will be to reduce the risk of a if you wish.
/ R W V R I P \ F X V W R P H U V D V N P H L I , · P Q R W V F D U H G dispute later, when you are far from base
• Communication with the passenger is
R I Z K R , P L J K W S L F N X S D Q G V D \ W K H \ G R Q · W W K L Q N and most at risk of violence.
L P S R U W D Q W % H S R O L W H D Q G S O H D V D Q W
L W · V D V D I H M R E I R U D Z R P D Q W R E H G R L Q J E X W D V L G H • Let the controller know of any change to
• Use your radio to tell your controller that
from the fact that women do all kinds of much
the booking. you have started your journey. This will
more dangerous work than this, safety is a real
mean that the passenger will know you are
issue for all Private Hire drivers, male or female.
Cash management in contact with base.
• If you can, drop off cash during your shift • Make eye contact with the passenger when
, · Y H R Q O \ E H H Q D 3 U L Y D W H + L U H G U L Y H U I R U D E R X W
so that you carry as little in your car as you they get in the car. This helps to establish
P R Q W K V D Q G , V X S S R V H , · Y H E H H Q O X F N \ L Q W K D W ,
F D Q , I \ R X F D Q · W N H H S \ R X U F D V K K L G G H Q a relationship with the passenger. It also
K D Y H Q · W K D G D Q \ U H D O O \ V F D U \ P R P H Q W V R U H Y H Q
from view in a secure box. gives them the message that you could
particularly awkward customers, but I do know that
identify them.
they are out there, waiting to surprise me when I
$ G M X V W P H Q W V W R \ R X U Y H K L F O H
• Explain the route you plan to take if you
am least expecting it! We all know of drivers who
• 6 R P H G U L Y H U V À W W K H L U F D U Z L W K D V F U H H Q W R
are going a long way round (for example in
have been robbed of their cash and/or cars at
S U R W H F W W K H P I U R P D V V D X O W 6 F U H H Q V D U H
order to avoid road works) so as to prevent
knifepoint, or by other violent means and, whether
made from materials that withstand a knife
a dispute over the fare.
you are a man or a woman, if you are threatened
attack or hard body impact, and can be
L Q W K L V Z D \ W K H U H L V Q · W P X F K \ R X F D Q G R R W K H U W K D Q
À W W H G D Q G W D N H Q R X W H D V L O \ , I \ R X I H H O W K U H D W H Q H G
hand over whatever they demand.
• Installing CCTV cameras has been shown • Try to stay calm. Take slow, deep breaths -
to lead to reduced threats and violence this may help to lessen your anxiety.
6 R Z K D W F D Q E H G R Q H W R V D I H J X D U G X V I U R P
D J D L Q V W G U L Y H U V 6 L J Q V L Q W K H Y H K L F O H • % H D Z D U H R I \ R X U R Z Q D F W L R Q V D Q G K R Z
those who might see us as an easy target and
can highlight the presence of CCTV to they may be seen.
attempt to take our hard earned cash or lovingly
passengers. Cameras can be bought • If you can, drive to a brightly lit, busy place
cared-for cars by force? In the past, PH drivers
or rented, and the cost may be offset by as these are often covered by CCTV.
were offered some protection by the fact that
• If you have a screen you are likely to be
they always had a name and pick-up address
reduced insurance premiums. They can
but, with the growing use of mobile phones to
be useful when there is a dispute with a safer staying in your car than getting out.
make bookings, this is no longer the case. I
passenger - it is not just your word against • Do not attempt to run after a passenger
have often picked up from pubs, shops etc and
theirs. who owes you their fare. Your safety is
dropped-off at similarly anonymous places so
• ) L W W L Q J D F R Q Y H [ P L U U R U W K D W J L Y H V \ R X D I X O O more important than the money.
that neither I nor our operator has any way of
view of the rear of your car will help you to
tracing the customer.
see what a passenger directly behind you
, I \ R X D U H D W W D F N H G
is doing.
• ' R Q R W W U \ W R À J K W E D F N L W L V P R V W O L N H O \ W R
The company I work for operates a panic-button
make the violence worse for you.
system, which alerts other drivers to come to
& D U U \ Z L W K \ R X • Use your horn and lights to attract attention.
W K H D L G R I D Q \ G U L Y H U Z K R À Q G V W K H P V H O Y H V L Q
• A spare key, in case an assailant throws • Contact your control room or call 999 to
G L I À F X O W L H V D Q G W K H V D W H O O L W H W U D F N L Q J V \ V W H P
your keys away. get help.
means that we can easily be found but both
• A mobile phone. • Gather as much information about the person
systems are most effective in areas where there
• A note pad and pen to record incidents. as you can (e.g. their clothes, accent).
are lots of other drivers around. A determined
• An emergency card with your name,
thief, though, would most likely choose a time
date of birth, blood group, allergies and a
After an incident
and place where this is not the case. CCTV is
contact number for emergencies.
• Write down everything about the incident -
one deterrent option, but may be too expensive
• A statement explaining that it is against the
a description of the passenger, what they
for most drivers, especially when times are as
law for you to take passengers other than
said and did.
hard as they are at the moment and I do not
those who have pre-booked.
• If you did not call them at the time, report all
know of any operators who provide these.
• An explanation of the fare structure, so that
Y L R O H Q W L Q F L G H Q W V W R W K H S R O L F H % H S U H S D U H G
you can explain it to a passenger who feels
to make a witness statement. It may take
, Q W K H L U O H D Á H W 6 W D \ L Q J V D I H J X L G D Q F H I R U
that you are over-charging them.
time, but it may prevent the violence in the
private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers, DfT provides future - for you and other drivers.
the following guidelines, some or all of which may
+ R Z \ R X U F R Q W U R O U R R P F D Q K H O S \ R X • When sentencing offenders, courts have
be helpful in some circumstances, but it would be • You will need them to get help for you if been advised to take particularly seriously
interesting to hear your feedback on how realistic you are in trouble. assaults against people who are providing
these are (does your controller follow those • Have a pre-arranged code word that a public service, especially those who are
suggested for their operation, for example?) and you can use if a passenger becomes vulnerable because they work alone at
also any useful tips that you have to offer: threatening, so that you can call for help night.
without making them suspicious.
• % L O N L Q J L V D F U L P L Q D O R I I H Q F H 5 H S R U W
% R R N L Q J V
• 6 R P H F R Q W U R O U R R P V K D Y H * 3 6 D Q G F D Q
incidents to the police and be prepared to
• Your controller should make sure that they
track the progress of all vehicles. Drivers
make a statement.
K D Y H D O O W K H S D V V H Q J H U · V F R Q W D F W G H W D L O V
have a silent button which they can
• You may be able to recover the costs of
for the booking, in particular their home
D F W L Y D W H L Q D Q H P H U J H Q F \ Z K L F K Á D J V X S
damage to your vehicle through the small
address and telephone number if known.
W K H L U Y H K L F O H R Q W K H F R Q W U R O O H U · V V F U H H Q
claims system.
• Controllers should keep a list of locations
that have been the source of violence and 6 W D \ L Q J V D I H Pam Powers
avoid taking bookings from them. • You know that working at night carries Private Hire Driver
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