How to avoid road traffic collisions

January 9, 2017

As a taxi driver, you spend most of your time on the road, and even though you may think you are used to the busy roads and heavy traffic, one small thing could cause a road traffic collision. That is why here at insureTAXI we want to give you some tips on how to avoid being involved in a road traffic collision.

Becoming distracted

It is more than likely, that due to the nature of your job you will use a variety of different devices, such as; sat navs, communication systems and the radio. Using these things can cause your eyes to be off the road for just seconds – everything can change in a second. In order to avoid becoming distracted by these devices, ensure that you have researched the correct address on your sat nav before you set off or pull over in a safe place to alter what you need to on these systems.

Being in a rush

Getting yourself worked up if you are on a schedule can be a common cause of a road traffic accident due to the fact that you tend to pay less attention to the roads and are more concerned about arriving at your destination on time. For example, you may be going over the speed limit and miscalculating junctions, all which are prone to causing accidents. In order to get past this, if you feel like you are running behind schedule, why not contact your taxi base to send a new driver to pick up your planned fare and stay calm at all times.

Bad weather

Even though we do not have control over this, the weather can cause extreme problems on the road, whether this be; rain, snow, ice or fog. Therefore, if the weather is bad, it is essential that you adjust your driving style and take a much more cautious approach to prevent any accidents from happening. You may think that you are able to take on these weather conditions due to being so used to the roads, however, by slowing down in the rain will hopefully prevent aquaplaning. As well as slowing down in ice or snow to prevent your vehicle from skidding.

Being tired whilst driving

Each year the number of road traffic accidents caused by tiredness is astounding. If you drive when you are tired, you run the risk of having a lack of concentration and focus on the road. If you do begin to feel tired whilst driving, try to pull over in a safe place to have a rest if you can or get some fresh air in between fares. In order to prevent this from happening, make sure you prepare yourself before your shift to stay alert by having a good night’s sleep.

We hope that you have been able to take some advice from this blog and you are able to stay as safe as you can in the up and coming 2017! For any advice on your taxi insurance, do not hesitate to get in contact with us on; 01704 808688.