65 Percent Of New York Cab Riders Do Not Use Seatbelts

A good chunk of New York City cab riders might grumble over aggressive driving, but that doesn't mean they've been buckling up.

According to the Taxi and Limousine Commission, only 35 percent of riders fasten their seat belts when riding in cabs, a far cry from the 90 percent of people who buckle up when riding private vehicles.

Statistics from 2009 reveal that out of the 4,093 accidents involving New York City cabs, only 41 percent of passengers were wearing seat belts.

The Post spoke to a few New Yorkers including 19-year old Ben Perreira who admitted, "I have never worn a seat belt in a taxi in my entire life. I feel like I'd get judged by my friends. I wear a seat belt in a regular car but never in a taxi."

Chief of the commission David Yassky announced on Wednesday that taxi's will run ads on their backseat monitors promoting cab safety in hopes that passengers will start utilizing their seat belts.

The ads are the latest effort from the TLC to improve cab rides. Earlier in December, Yassky cracked down on cab drivers refusing fares to outer boroughs and some parts of Manhattan with an undercover operation that found 27 percent of 1,330 hailed cabs refused because of their long distances. Cab drivers who continue to refuse fares face a $500 penalty.

In October, the TLC took action against unnecessary honking by sending a text message to the city's 13,000 cab drivers, warning them of a hefty $350 fine for every honk that went uncalled for.

Comments

[jl4141]

03:09 PM on 12/29/2011

100 percent of the people in Winsocki don't buckle up, either, but you don't see anyone writing any articles about that, do you?

[Absolute]

02:11 PM on 12/29/2011

I do, every single time. One of my closest friends suffered serious injuries in a cab accident. If you're riding you should be buckled up...period.

[am44smith]

01:40 PM on 12/29/2011

Is this really that shocking? New Yorkers don't drive so they haven't been preached at about the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt so of course they don't!

[JoeHurley]

01:30 PM on 12/29/2011

As a taxi driver, and an occasional passenger, I don't think it's a taxi-oriented phenomena. It's a phenomena of riding in the back seat.

[Max Shaw]

02:11 PM on 12/29/2011

you are 100% correct. i always buckle in the front--even in a cab. these guys are maniacs with their cabs.

[rikster]

06:00 PM on 12/29/2011

maniacs is a poor description of the things I have seen cab drivers do. unfortunately they keep the driving habits of their native countries where anything goes, and the NYPD looks the other way..toward Peter Pan donuts...