93% Of Boston Cab Drivers Don't Wear Seat Belts

[matcom]

<snip>

Ninety-three percent of Boston cabdrivers don't wear their seat belts, putting themselves at serious risk of injury, according to a report being released today.

The report, undertaken by emergency room doctors, urges that the state's seat belt law be changed to eliminate the exemption for cabdrivers.

''It just doesn't make sense to exempt taxicab drivers from safety belt laws," said Dr. William G. Fernandez, an emergency room physician at Boston Medical Center, which has New England's largest and busiest trauma center. ''Their occupation obviously puts them at higher potential risk of injuries from a motor vehicle collision."

Published in today's Annals of Emergency Medicine, the survey by Fernandez and other BMC emergency room doctors found that of 250 taxi drivers observed during a four-day period last June, only 17 were properly belted in. The doctors stationed observers throughout the city where cabs are common, to note and record whether the driver was wearing a seat belt.

Industry lobbyists pushed for the exclusion from the seat belt law back in the late 1980s, saying that being strapped in was inconvenient for cabdrivers, who frequently get in and out of their vehicle.

Larry Meister, vice president of the Independent Taxi Operators Association, ticked off the hassles of wearing seat belts: ''You're in and out of the cab 10 to 15 times per hour, and typically most drivers work a 12-hour shift. You go to Logan. A good driver wants to get a good tip, so -- click! -- he gets out to load the luggage -- click! -- drives to the hotel -- click! -- gets out to unload the luggage -- click! -- go to the supermarket and -- click! -- help with the bundles there . . . I've strangled myself forgetting I put on my seat belt."

Meister also argued yesterday that mandating seat belts for cabdrivers isn't necessary. ''Seeing as most cab hours are spent in the inner city and are driving under 30 miles per hour . . . you're not going to get tossed around or thrown out of the vehicle if you get into an accident at that rate of speed."

Boston police said they had no current statistics available on how many accidents in the city involve taxis.

Loul Hagos, a Metro Cab driver since 1987, said he believes that the survey overstates the number who buckle up. ''It's got to be lower," he said.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/03/04/survey_says_few_cabdrivers_click_it?mode=PF

[sniffa]

1. simiLar % don't shower either

[Kathy in Cambridge]

2. *snort*

I can attest to that too. mmmm, someone ate onions for lunch. Or is that your feet? :puke: