Dire Condition of Harrogate’s Roads Putting Taxi Drivers’ Safety At Risk

North Yorkshire has secured a further £3.2 million to tackle the county’s pothole problem. Four locations in Harrogate will be worked on by the Highways Agency in a bid to improve local roads, which are putting thousands of taxi drivers at risk each time they get behind the wheel of their cab. Thankfully, there are a great choice of car servicing and repair businesses in Harrogate should your car suffer damage from potholes, but what are the bigger risks of the county’s potholes to taxi drivers?

Safety concerns

Taxi drivers in Yorkshire and Humber state they take 100 fares and work more than 40 hours every week, according to statistics from insuretaxi.com. A Taxi driver driving over the endless potholes you’ll encounter in Harrogate, face damaging their tyres, rims, suspension and steering.

With cabbies working such long hours and ferrying around an endless stream of passengers, it can be a struggle to find time to take your cab in for repair. British drivers are forking out £1.7 billion each year for repairs on their vehicles caused by potholes and with taxi drivers in the region earning on average £300 a week, many delay taking their vehicle off their road for repairs as they simply can’t afford to lose a day’s income.

The real risk

Not only is there a financial risk involved when your vehicle takes the brunt of riding over multiple potholes, but there’s a severe safety risk, too. The general consensus is to avoid driving directly over a pothole where possible. While this will prevent your vehicle sustaining damage, it puts taxi drivers and other road users at risk of being involved in an accident as they swerve to avoid Harrogate’s damaged roads.

Luckily, taxi drivers in North Yorkshire haven’t reported any road traffic accidents caused as a direct result of a vehicle striking a pothole. However, following a crash which left a car on its roof in Manchester in April, police stated that they collision may have been caused by a large pothole on the carriageway. This evidence proves that taxi drivers in any region are at significant risk of losing control every time they drive over a pothole, so all taxi drivers should ensure they report potholes to the council as and when they come across them.

Stay safe

Any vehicle you purchase should be checked over by a professional mechanic. This is a vital check when you’re carrying Harrogate residents in and around the town as you want to ensure maximum safety at all times. As a taxi driver in Harrogate, it’s inevitable that your vehicle will encounter potholes on a daily basis. Therefore, regular safety checks should be carried out on your vehicle and you should pay special attention to the condition of your tyres and suspension. While it may be inconvenient to take time off work to get repairs done, it is vital that repairs are carried out as they will safeguard you and your paying customers.

The news that Harrogate’s roads are to receive further funding to improve their condition is long overdue. Hardworking taxi drivers do their utmost to get locals to their desired destinations in time, however, they shouldn’t forget the importance of staying safe on the roads and carrying out regular checks on their vehicles.

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