New York City is home to an astounding number of taxis per square mile. Everywhere you look, yellow cabs are transporting tourists and New York residents about town.
With that said, hailing and riding in a taxi can be a harrowing experience and is not for the faint of heart. While cab drivers are familiar with every side street and hidden route in the city, they are also notorious for disobeying traffic laws and driving recklessly. At Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, our experienced New York Personal Injury Attorneys have handled numerous cases involving passengers injured by careless taxi drivers. Below we have gathered ten useful tips for staying safe in a New York cab.
- When hailing a taxi, do not stand in the street. While you may see movie stars do this in your favorite films, it increases your chance of being hit by a reckless driver, especially in the evening.
- Before entering a taxi, first make sure that the driver is a licensed cab driver. Recently, there have been reports of unlicensed, unbranded cars attempting to pick up unsuspecting passengers, then charging astronomical fares or endangering the passengers.
- Pay attention to the meter during your ride. Some locations, such as the airport, may incur a flat fee. However, the fare for most locations is determined by the meter. The cab driver is required to post a sign explaining a breakdown of the price, such as the cost per mile or a waiting charge.
- Do you not ask your driver to speed, run red lights, or make illegal turns in order to get to your destination faster, and if you catch your driver driving recklessly, ask them to drive more carefully. It is more important to reach your final destination alive than early!
- Do not get out of the cab if the driver attempts to drop you off in the middle of the street, in a no-stopping zone, or in any other location that is unsafe and may lead to you being hit by a car.
- If there is a dispute over the fare, contact the police. Do not attempt to walk away without paying the fare as the driver may retaliate against you or file a criminal complaint for nonpayment.
- Maintain situational awareness when you are dropped off. If it is evening or you are in an unsafe part of town, request that the driver drop you off somewhere well-lit.
- If the driver makes inappropriate comments, threatens you, or is distracted while driving, you have the right to end the ride early.
- Keep your valuables with you and check the taxi before exiting.
- If you are in a taxicab accident, notate the driver’s name, license plate number, taxi registration number, and taxi company name. In addition, contact the police to report the accident. Then call Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP.
Call Us Today if You Were Injured in a Taxi Accident
Cab accidents are a common occurrence in New York City, and our taxicab crash lawyers can help you evaluate your case to see if you have a cognizable personal injury claim. To speak to a skilled attorney today, call us at (212) 986-7353.