Taxi and limousine drivers are the most likely workers to die a violent death on the job, a new CDC report has shown.
Compared to other workers, they have an increased risk of such deaths because they work with cash, with the public, alone and during nighttime hours, the new analysis says.
The study also reveals that black and Hispanic drivers are more likely than white drivers to die on the job, and male drivers are six times more at risk than female drivers.
The new research labels the industry as disproportionately dangerous, and it warns that measures need to be taken by city governments to further protect private transportation drivers.
New CDC data have revealed that taxi and limousine drivers are the most likely workers to die a violent death on the job (file photo)
Researchers who worked on the new report analyzed data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on the deaths of taxi and limo drivers from 2003 to 2013.
They concluded that 366 taxi drivers died a work-related death that was considered ‘violent’ during the 11-year period they looked at. This number translates to about 18 of every 100,000 taxi and limo drivers. The primary cause of these deaths was homicide.
While motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for most who work in the transportation industry, this does not hold true for taxi drivers.
The study found that 50 percent more cab drivers were killed by workplace violence than by car crashes in 2014.
The South was the region with the largest number of deaths and the report said that regional differences among the rates of deaths could stem from differing safety regulations.
For example, partitions that divide passengers from drivers in taxis are typically mandated by city governments in the Northeast, whereas they are optional for cab drivers in the South.
Additionally, the requirement of cameras in taxis is mandated by city governments in the West but left to the discretion of taxi company policies in the South.
Other safety measures that the report said keep taxi drivers secure include: vehicle-tracking technology, silent alarms and improved lighting on the insides of vehicles.
And researchers said that if all of these steps were taken, the lives of cab drivers would be better protected.
‘To decrease the risk of violence, it is critical that all taxi and limo drivers work in environments that not only promote but that use these and other proven safety measures,’ the report said.
It also said that drivers should limit the amount of cash they store in their vehicles and participate in safety training courses.
‘It is important that city ordinances and company policies affecting worker safety are equally accessible and used by all drivers,’ the study said.