Hailing A Taxi - Does The Taxi Have The Correct License And Insurance?
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As soon as a passenger enters a taxi, their first inclination is to tell the driver where they would like to go. Most don’t even think that anything more than the location is relevant to the trip. However, it is important to find out if the taxi or private hire cab and the driver is licensed and insured.
An unlicensed, uninsured journey can be dangerous for your safety, and journeying in one of these taxis or mini cabs is generally not a good idea. In fact, there have been accounts of people posing as taxi drivers to lure customers into their vehicle, either for monetary or other purposes. Luckily, there are a few obvious visual clues to let you know if the taxi and its driver is following the law.
Before entering, be sure that you are not getting into a private hire vehicle unless you have pre-booked it. The taxi insurance for private hire vehicles does not cover public hire trips. It is also against the law for a private hire taxi driver to make such a trip. Another thing to note is the license plate on the back of the taxi. This should allow you to see if the vehicle is licensed or not. All taxis must be licensed, and an unlicensed taxi can also be a warning that the vehicle is not insured or is a bogus taxi or mini cab.
Every taxi driver is required to have an ID badge with them, which will tell you if they are licensed or not. This badge should have a photo of the driver, along with a driver number and name. The colours of these badges are different for public and private hire vehicles and may vary for different areas, but should correspond with the license plate colour. If they do not have a proper ID badge, it is unwise to travel in their vehicle. Also, if the colours do not match, there is a chance that the driver does not have the correct license or taxi insurance. To obtain a local authority license to drive a taxi or mini cab in the UK, drivers also have to have enhanced criminal record checks, CRB, this is a legal requirement as is used as a way of protecting the public from potential sexual or other types of abuse.
These things should be done before getting into the vehicle, as there is a chance the vehicle you are entering may not be a taxi at all or may even be stolen. If you discover that the driver does not have the correct license or taxi insurance, it would be best to avoid travelling with them and to hail another taxi. You may also want to record the license plate and report your suspicions to the police. When hailing a taxi, you are putting your safety in their hands, so be sure that you are getting into a vehicle that is safe, licensed and insured correctly.
Neil Anderson is a UK based finance specialist who provides advice and information about a wide range of products including taxi insurance. Find out more by visiting his website, DNA Insurance.
