Southampton taxi drivers have been told they are no longer required to have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher permanently in their cab.
The change comes after some local cabbies voiced concerns about the equipment, which they fear could land them in the middle of a legal dispute if used incorrectly.
No Training Available
Until now, it’s been compulsory for hackney taxis and private hire cars to carry the safety equipment at all times. However, no first aid training has been made available to taxi drivers to ensure they can provide the correct assistance when necessary.
Taxi driver and local Unite the Union spokesperson, Perry McMillan, said: “If you apply first aid to someone incorrectly and they have an even worse injury, or if you don’t put a bandage on correctly, you might be sued.
“The lack of training for taxi drivers is very important and I would also refer to the culture of litigation in the United States, where you can get sued for anything, which is becoming more relevant here.
“You have people putting spurious claims in against taxi drivers for various things and we are not putting ourselves up for that.”
Health and Safety Gone Mad?
One driver was also told that using a fire extinguisher could nullify any insurance claim if it was used without proper training.
Licensing committee member, Councillor Don Thomas said: “The words that spring to mind are that its health and safety gone mad.
“The drivers’ hands are tied and nowadays they’ve got to think twice before trying to help someone. That’s just a ridiculous situation.
“It’s not down to the taxi drivers, it’s down to the regulations forced on them and the fear of legal action.”