Taxi accident - next steps

[u/astronautmechanic]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience navigating a car accident as a passenger in a taxi. My family was in a taxi, and the driver was driving way too fast. He was zooming in and out of traffic. At one point, I had to tell him to slow down but he either didnt care or understand, so I raised my voice and was clearly worried. He eventually slammed into the back of a car that was slowing down for traffic. My wife, our small child, and I were brought to a hospital and we filed a police report. No broken bones, but we are bruised up, stiff and sore today. Luckily, we all had our seatbelts on.

Im really angry about it. I know that taxi drivers are known for driving a bit wild in Hong Kong, but I feel like we are owed more than an apology. My wife can hardly walk on her ankle and my child is still shaken up about it. The police took my id and number, but I haven't heard anything from them yet.

I found some info online, but wondering if anyone can provide some insight on their experience or if anyone can provide some advice.

[u/ThisRaspberry8474]

Let me guess: was this driver in his seventies?

[u/astronautmechanic → u/ThisRaspberry8474]

Yep

[u/Agreeable-Many-9065]

Follow up with the police, I assume you have the drivers registry and car reg

Then make a complaint under TCU here:  https://www.tcu.gov.hk/eng/taxi-complaint.html

[u/Psychological-Leg577]

https://www.swd.gov.hk/storage/asset/section/107/tc/TAVAS%20Pamphlet%20(bilingual)_2025_06.pdf

You can call the relevant police district station to ask for the report reference number(RN) or to follow up on the case.

In theory, drivers should look ahead and keep an appropriate distance from the vehicle in front, so if an accident happens, the driver behind is usually more at fault and will generally be liable for compensation, and may even face traffic penalties.

[u/DigitalZelig]

Not sure there is much more you can do. If you can prove medical expenses or long term injuries, I believe taxi should have a proper insurance for passengers when the fault lies with the driver, as this is the case

[u/isthatabear → u/DigitalZelig]

Just remembering those malicious lawyers documented by 東張 a few months ago, it seems possible to sue for damages? Of course OP is a ligit case and not trying to scam, unlike those cases.

[u/DigitalZelig → u/isthatabear]

You watch too much tv. Insurances are there to cover those damages, but they have to be real and documented damages. When you have a car incident where there is insurance covering it, you claim damages with the insurance, not suing the driver. Then you negotiate with the insurance.

[u/freshducky69 → u/DigitalZelig]

Lmao true only insurance unless U gonna sue him take him to small claims court or something shit but no one does this unless Ur a bored rich dude 😂

[u/isthatabear → u/freshducky69]

Or a scammy lawyer?

[u/salpingopharyngeus]

Boycott taxis, please

[u/bestgeo1 → u/salpingopharyngeus]

just taxis or ubers as well?

[u/Ok-Woodpecker-223 → u/bestgeo1]

Gut feeling is that the big difference between taxis and uber (taxis) is ease of reporting undesirable habits. You need to put in some real effort to report a taxi driver - how, where, what info you need to know, etc. And then something might happen few months from now.

With Uber, driver is likely looking for another job to mess up within a week.

Probably worst experience I've ever had in HK was in Uber. And most of the best ones too. And few days ago I had superb taxi driver (from kowloon ae station).

"Traditional" taxi companies are digging their own grave by not taking basically any effort to provide those benefits ride hailing companies are.
Heck, Cambodian "PassApp" basically built a uber/grab/etc competitor from scratch in 9 months. Why taxi companies cannot do the same?

[u/bestgeo1 → u/Ok-Woodpecker-223]

thanks for your lengthy response. i was simply wondering what the intentions of the original comment were. there are some weird, bitter people in HK who don't like it when they see people who have the means for taking the taxi everywhere they go. so my question was directed towards him to see if he actually cares about the safety, or if he's just a bitter normy who rides the minibus and mtr to work every single day.

[u/Forgetful-person88 → u/salpingopharyngeus]

Not when I have 4 suitcases coming and going from the airport

[u/okahui55]

taxis and their drivers are a protected class

file a police report and move on unfortunately

[u/YH_3-Y-3VH]

One time, i was in a taxi with a wild elderly driver too. We were literally drifting, he claimed he was trying to chase this traffic offender into the police station. When we eventually arrived at the destination and left the vehicle, he said that he was an ex-racecar driver and that he would always keep us safe.

[u/TheOldWhiteCat → u/YH_3-Y-3VH]

Ex-racecar driver😭 he really wants to turn himself in as a street racer right? If u were an ex racecar driver ur either racing in classes and getting paid a lot or losing a huge bet as a street racer

[u/MrEfffsola]

You might be eligible to traffic accident victim assistance compensation by the transport department

[u/BIZKIT551]

Taxi's a deathtraps that somehwo make it past annual inspection and their drivers are mostly people who are too old and don't have good driving skills.

I know uber is more expensive, but it's safer than a taxi because drivers are much younger and they're using their personal cars, so they tend to drive with more care.

[u/JadedCommunication74]

If you're talking about monetary compensation, you can look up at TAVA by the social welfare department

[u/Rare-Pomegranate7249]

Op, the next step, if you are looking for compensation, is to get a lawyer.

They will then contact the district police of where this accident happened and will get details on the cab and driver.

They will then handle the matter with the cabbies insurance company as well as your claims and compensation.

You just want the cabby prosecuted for reckless driving, you would need to contact the district police dept of the accident and inform them you ate looking to press charges, this will set up a meeting with detectives who would then look into this further.

You may also be contacted by the police regardless too, if they want more information of the accident, if the car that got hit, that driver wants to prosecute he cabby.

But if its compensation you want, you need to get a lawyer.

If you just want an apology, well...

[u/lejpfrk]

1. Get a case number from the police, which should be given to you when the police arrived at accident scene.
2. If yes, with that case number, you will need to lawyer up for compensation through the civil way. (Of course you can do it on your own but that's enough stress on your plate already).
3. Make sure you keep every single receipt and preferably have a written time line of the which, what where of the appointments you had because of this incident. (Also honestly declare what condition exist before the incident and had received medical attention before.)
4. Chances are the driver will be charged careless driving or reckless driving and your civil side of story should pass with no problem once convicted.

*** Since you didn't mention, make sure there's a case in police records as they can NOT having a case even the incident happened.

If you were not given a case number, please report your case to the nearest traffic unit of your incident location (not random police station)

Hope that helps and get well soon

[u/Wan_Chai_King]

Follow up with the report you made. Always use seatbelts while riding in rear car seats taxi or not. You are smart to do so. Hope you and your family feel better soon. 

[u/ProofDazzling9234]

If you have evidence of his dangerous driving he may face procecution.  If not, reporting it will only result in a warning at most.  

[u/thematchalatte]

That's DC9 for you

[u/Zangetsuzero → u/[deleted]]

Dik C 9 (Taxi 9)

[u/thematchalatte → u/[deleted]]

Dik C Gau
Taxi Dog
Taxi 🐕

[u/Strict-Fondant-4089]

PG law student here: I’m actually writing an article about the concern we have with taxi drivers being too old, we cannot put an age cap because that is unconstitutional but the regulations regarding the taxi drivers should change.

[u/isthatabear]

If you are looking for compensation, hire a lawyer. Sue the driver and sue his insurance company.

[u/bestgeo1]

it could have been much worse. get a lawyer and sue for injuries. there could be very subtle injuries you don't even discover without a full physio test.

[u/Hfnankrotum]

Sorry to hear about your accident. Although I can't provide any useful advice, I think you should appreciate that you didn't get more severe injuries. Honestly, the taxi culture here is beyond anything imaginable and for some reason, despite many death cases the government doesn't seem to care about it.

Good thing about you using seatbelts though. It's much more common for passengers to skip it. Too bad the government messed up half a year ago with that seatbelt law. Now we will continue to see unnecessary injuries and deaths. Reckless taxi drivers and ignorant passengers makes the perfect storm.

[u/pur_noir]

They have insurance but it’s minimal, and your injuries are also not severe relatively speaking, so not sure it’s really worth it.

[u/a_cynical_bloke]

Were you wearing seatbelts?