A Shanghai's hospital is checking the health of
1,000 taxi drivers after three drivers died in their cabs in the
past two months.
Cab drivers arrived early yesterday for their examinations at
Hongkang Hospital. The hospital will suggest ways to improve their
health.
Most taxi companies don't provide drivers with regular health
checks and drivers themselves have a poor awareness of health
care.
Three drivers died of cardiovascular syndromes in their cars in
July and August. The large temperature differences inside and
outside the car may also have contributed to their deaths,
officials said.
"We will finish an evaluation report on each driver and provide
an overall conclusion to each company, which should provide more
care for drivers," said Liao Chuanping of Hongkang Hospital.
Local taxi drivers said the deaths sparked concern among the
industry. "We all work for 12 hours or more. The long-term overtime
and difficult life style impairs the health of many drivers," said
Zhu Lingdi, a female driver at Shanghai Bashi Taxi Co, whose
officials yesterday promised to give health examinations for its
staff in future.
(Shanghai Daily September 14, 2007)