SO, taxis are about to be equipped with GPS navigational devices.

Imagine how safe it will be, sitting in the egalitarian front seat of a taxi, while the driver fiddles with the dashboard-mounted, push-button communications system, setting and watching the GPS screen and talking on the hands-free mobile phone: a veritable trifecta of driver distractions.

And, unlike most other states, taxi drivers in NSW are not required to wear seat belts. In a crash, unbelted occupants behave like unguided missiles and can easily cause death or serious injury to other occupants.

A government that was seriously concerned about the appalling increase in the NSW road toll would take immediate action about all driver distractions and require taxi drivers to wear seat belts, just like their passengers and all other motorists.

HAROLD SCRUBY

Chairman, Pedestrian Council of Australia