Effectiveness of Taxicab Security Equipment in Reducing Driver Homicide Rates

Abstract

Background Taxicab drivers historically have had one of the highest work-related homicide rates of any occupation. In 2010 the taxicab driver homicide rate was 7.4 per 100,000 drivers, compared to the overall rate of 0.37 per 100,000 workers. Purpose Evaluate the effectiveness of taxicab security cameras and partitions on citywide taxicab driver homicide rates. Methods Taxicab driver homicide rates were compared in 26 major cities in the U.S. licensing taxicabs with security cameras (n=8); bullet-resistant partitions (n=7); and cities where taxicabs were not equipped with either security cameras or partitions (n=11). News clippings of taxicab driver homicides and the number of licensed taxicabs by city were used to construct taxicab driver homicide rates spanning 15 years (1996–2010). Generalized estimating equations were constructed to model the Poisson-distributed homicide rates on city-specific safety equipment installation status, controlling for city homicide rate and the concurrent decline of homicide rates over time. Data were analyzed in 2012. Results Cities with cameras experienced a threefold reduction in taxicab driver homicides compared with control cities (RR=0.27; 95% CI=0.12, 0.61; p=0.002). There was no difference in homicide rates for cities with partitions compared with control cities (RR=1.15; 95% CI=0.80, 1.64; p=0.575). Conclusions Municipal ordinances and company policies mandating security cameras appear to be highly effective in reducing taxicab driver deaths due to workplace violence.

Cities with camera-equipped taxicabs experience reduced taxicab driver homicide rates: United States, 1996–2010

“…Our findings suggest cities where taxicabs are equipped with cameras could result in fewer taxicab driver homicides particularly in cities with an ordinance mandating taxicabs are equipped with cameras. Furthermore, these findings are consistent with a previous analysis examining news clippings to identify homicides (Chaumont Menéndez et al 2013). Specifically, results of the news clippings analysis were concordant with the current study with respect to an observed effect of cameras in possibly reducing citywide taxicab driver homicide rates, but inconclusive for the effect of partitions.…”

Work-Related Violent Deaths in the US Taxi and Limousine Industry 2003 to 2013

“…Cameras and partitions, two major types of safety equipment, were found to be distributed in geographically different regions among the largest US cities. 10,11 Generally, cameras were found to be mandated by city ordinance in the West and company policy in the South while partitions were primarily mandated in the Northeast and Midwest. 10,11 Of further concern is this uneven distribution of two key types of recommended safety measures.…”

“…10,11 Generally, cameras were found to be mandated by city ordinance in the West and company policy in the South while partitions were primarily mandated in the Northeast and Midwest. 10,11 Of further concern is this uneven distribution of two key types of recommended safety measures. There is no current information available at the national level that identifies implementation of the recommended safety measures at the driver/car level.…”

“…2,3 Almost 10 per 100,000 taxi and limousine industry drivers were murdered ( n =31) 4 while performing their job duties that same year, 50% more than were killed in a transportation incident (the current leading cause of work-related death) in an industry that exclusively provides transportation. 4 While occupational public health research has historically highlighted taxicab drivers as one of many industries at risk for violence in the workplace, 5–9 and interventions designed to reduce violence in this worker population have been evaluated, 10–13 there are no recent analytic studies focused on describing taxi and limousine industry fatalities as a primary objective for this workforce estimated at 300,000. 14 We describe demographic, employment, and injury characteristics among taxi and limousine industry drivers killed due to violence in the United States from 2003 through 2013.…”

The dangers and self protective behaviors of ride share drivers.

“…Looking at a fifteen-year span from 1996 to 2010, it was determined that there was no difference in the homicide rates in cities that had the bullet-proof partitions versus those that did not. However, there was a substantial reduction, almost four times lower rate, in homicides in cities that has cameras installed in their taxicabs (Menendez et al, 2013). This does not indicate that taxicabs should not have the bullet-proof shields; it merely means that research has not indicated that they are effective in reducing homicides or attempted homicides.…”