Is there a solution to attacks on drivers?
It seems that hardly a month passes without tragic news of the murder of a minicab driver in some part of the country.
In addition there are all too many non-fatal attacks that can leave drivers maimed, off work or traumatised. The freedoms enjoyed by being a driver in the private hire trade – not tied to an office, working the hours you wish - carry a very nasty potential downside. Working alone, at night, in an enclosed space and often in unfamiliar locations, drivers risk exposure to some of society’s problem elements: the opportunist thief, the pre-meditated murderer, the violent racist and the mentally unstable or drunk passenger.
Recently some sections of the trade have called for measures compelling passengers to pre-register and give passwords to drivers. Other solutions include in-car CCTV cameras and alarms, money safes, cashless cabs and shields between the front and back seats. All of these have pros and cons.