At Abbey Cars, we pride ourselves on ensuring the safety of all our drivers and passengers. Please refer to the driver’s handbook for further in depth guidelines and instructions; this document concentrates on passenger welfare.
Key risks.
Mis-identification, passengers getting into the wrong vehicle or our vehicle picking up the wrong person.
Home security, passengers, in particular the elderly or impaired, not locking their doors and windows, or locking themselves out.
Slips, trips and falls. Again with particular reference to the elderly or impaired. This includes accidents inside or outside a passenger’s home (or alternative pickup point). Also be aware of accidents whilst loading to and unloading from a vehicle.
Vehicle security. Non use of seatbelts, door locks and window locks. Possibly leading to injury within the vehicle or in the event of a road traffic accident.
Passengers not going where they have said they are going or where we have been instructed to take them.
Lost passengers. Where a passenger may leave the vehicle before arrival at the correct destination or at the correct destination, but then not proceed to their home.
Suggested counter measures.
Try to get the passenger to state their name or destination (unless the destination would be too common i.e. the train station).
Then reassure them that they are getting into the correct vehicle by supplying further information to them.
Remind passengers to lock their doors and windows, sometimes it may be necessary to check that they have done so.
Ensure elderly or infirm passengers have their door key with them before they leave their house.
Again with particular reference to the elderly or impaired, escort, physically if necessary to and from the vehicle. However drivers are reminded to avoid physical contact with passengers where possible.
All passengers should be asked to wear their seatbelts.
Where possible, child safety locks should be activated as well as electric windows being locked shut.
Again with reference to the elderly or infirm, with particular reference to working with sheltered housing or social services for example, drivers should not allow a passenger to leave the vehicle before arrival at the booked destination.
It may be sometimes necessary to escort elderly or impaired passengers into the custody of a care giver at the destination.