Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers oppose seat belt law change

The Minister for Transport, Séamus Brennan, has announced that taxi drivers will be required to wear seat belts in their cabs from next Thursday.

In a statement, the Minister said he was removing the exemption under the current law that allows taxi, hackney and limousine drivers not to wear seat belts.

The Irish Taxi Drivers Federation, which has 3,000 members, is opposed to the change, which it says will make drivers more vulnerable to attacks from passengers. The president of the union, John Usher, said they were particularly concerned that seat belts would be used to choke drivers.

Earlier, in a statement announcing the move, Mr Brennan said that there was overwhelming evidence of the effectiveness of the belts in preventing death and reducing serious injury in road accidents, and that the exemption could no longer be justified.

So the Irish Taxi Fed bang on about poor standards and the need for government action, and when the government then try to improve their lot, they have a whinge up.

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IDFIMH

If, god forbid, you ever get a H/C licence you will understand the threat of being attacked by a passenger and the fear of being trapped by that person holding your belt.

Maybe when we're not carrying passengers we should belt up, just as the law applies to our P/H friends.

B. Lucky

How many drivers are injured in that way, compared to those that go through the wind screen.

There is no excuss for WAV drivers not wearing a seat belt.
I think not wearing seat belts is a bad habit we all get into after just a few days driving a taxi or a PHV.
It's a tell tell sign of a new driver, them wearing theirs.

Brennan remains firm with Taxi drivers on seatbelt issue

Seamus Brennan has said there will be no compromise with taxi-drivers on the issue of seatbelts.

The Transport Minister has said from Thursday they will be compelled to belt-up for the greater good.

He has referred the idea of a waist-only belt proposed by taxi-drivers to the National Taxi Council.

He has said while he has no strong objection to it if it's practical, he feels they would be better off with an ordinary belt.

So now they can have a little belt around there bellies. Really safety conscious.

Jeeeesus Beegorra,Ive belted up far yeeers bejeeesus.
Last time I did,nt mee troosers fell doon.

Shamus,also known as Shamus the flasher.