Greedy cabbies a safety risk this Christmas

?This time of year party goers rely on taxi drivers to get home from Christmas parties,? NRMA Motoring & Services President Alan Evans said.

?People are often trying to get home late at night, public transport options are scarce and more often than not they have been drinking.

?Greedy cabbies who try to rip people off are breaking the law. They could also be forcing people to drink and drive.

?People should report them to the Ministry for Transport on 1 800 632 500 and make sure they get the license plate number of the taxi driver.

?If rogue taxi drivers continue to mark up their fares to take advantage of the increase in demand they could force people to drive to parties ? and that could become dangerous because they might try and drive home after drinking.?

Mr Evans said after 20 years of hard work and education, the public was starting to take notice to the dangers of drink driving and making the option of getting taxis home too expensive for many patrons could undo all the hard work.

?To suggest that cabbies need this busy time of year to make as much money as possible so that they can make up for leaner months, as has been suggested in the media, is absolute rot,? Mr Evans said. 

?It is poor form to be forcing patrons to make payments in excess of what the usual fair would be and the practice must stop now.

?If cabbies are caught in the act the Government should consider removing their taxi driver license.?