ACT Road Safety Taxi Manual

Over the period 2020 to 2022 the Australian Capital Territory Taxi Association (ACTTA), ACT Cabs Pty Ltd and Aerial Capital Group Ltd raised concerns with the high cost of Motor Accident Injuries (MAI) taxi premiums.  Research undertaken by the MAI Commission identified that the key drivers for high taxi MAI premiums are the high frequency of accidents and average cost of taxi crashes leading to personal injuries.

In this context the MAI Commission engaged Dr Darren Wishart, an associate professor in the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University, to develop the ACT Road Safety Taxi Manual (the Taxi Manual).  The Taxi Manual, completed in consultation with the taxi industry, provides a standardised guide aimed at taxi drivers, owners and operators to improve road safety for taxis operating in the ACT.

The Taxi Manual identifies the local causes underlying the high number and average cost of taxi accidents and provides a way forward for the taxi industry to improve the driving safety of taxis in the ACT. It also provides an effective risk management approach that identifies hazards and risks and how they may be addressed or mitigated.

To maximise the likelihood of reducing taxi premiums in the medium term, the taxi industry has been encouraged to adopt safer driving arrangements that reduce the frequency and severity of accidents resulting in personal injuries. By holistically using the risk mitigation strategies and associated tools outlined in the Taxi Manual, the taxi industry’s road safety plans can be tailored to drivers to improve road safety.

ACT Road Safety Taxi Manual 2023 (PDF 12.6MB)