Assaulted or Threatened as a Driver: What to Do Next

In short: get to safety and call 911 first. In a taxi or livery car, switch on the trouble lights — the rules require the switch to be silent, so it does not alert the attacker. Then protect the evidence: ask for the taxi camera (IVCS) footage at once, because the rules only require it to be kept for 30 days. Report the attack to the police and to TLC victim services at inclusion@tlc.nyc.gov. If you were hurt, start your injury claim within days, not weeks.

This guide puts the steps in order and explains what TLC rules and New York law actually give you. It is general information, not legal advice. If you are charged with anything after the incident, talk to a lawyer.

The first hour, step by step

Trouble lights: the silent alarm on your car

Every yellow taxi must have a "help or distress signaling light system" (rule 58-34(c)). Livery vehicles and Street Hail Liveries have the same requirement in their own chapters. Rule 67-11 describes the system:

• two amber "lollipop" lights, one at the front center of the car and one on top of the rear bumper, left of the plate;
• they flash between 60 and 120 times a minute;
• the switch must be "within easy reach of the driver" and "silent when operating".

The rules do not say what police or other drivers will do when they see the lights, so don't count on a fixed response. Use them together with a 911 call, not instead of it. Find your switch before your next shift — a missing or broken system is a $175 owner violation with suspension until it is fixed. Our taxi safety equipment guide explains the lights, partitions and cameras together.

Calling 911 while the car is moving

TLC's phone rule, 80-14(g), bans using a phone while driving. It has one written defense: the call was to an emergency operator, it reported an imminent threat to life or property, you could not safely stop, and you can show documentary proof of the call (your phone log or the 911 record). So stop first if you safely can. If you can't, make the call and keep the proof.

Save the evidence before it disappears

Taxi camera (IVCS). A taxi without a partition must have an approved in-vehicle camera system (that is one of the three conditions for the partition exemption in rule 58-35(b)), and a partitioned taxi may also have one. Under rule 67-12 the camera captures at least one image per second, shows the full face of every occupant, and stamps each image with the date, time and vehicle license number. It must keep images for at least 30 days. Only the vehicle owner and the installer (or Taximeter Business) can open it, but the installer must give the images to the driver, the owner and the police on request. Ask in writing — a text or email — the same day, and tell the police which vehicle it is. See how to get taxi camera footage for the request itself.

Never delete or edit camera footage yourself: rule 80-22(j) carries a $250 fine and/or a 5 to 30 day suspension for a driver who does.

Everything else. Save your own dashcam clip (see dashcams in TLC vehicles), screenshots of the trip in your app, the rider's name or trip ID, photos of damage and injuries, and the names of witnesses.

Who to report to

The police. A police report is the starting point for a criminal case and for most victim-help programs. Your own rules also push you to the police in some cases: you must report right away any attempt to use your vehicle to commit a crime or escape from one (80-12(l)), and a taxi or green-cab driver whose passenger refuses to pay must go to the nearest precinct and follow police instructions (80-17(b)). If a fare dispute is turning dangerous, see can I lock the doors if a passenger won't pay.

TLC victim services. TLC's Driver Resources page says TLC gives "assistance and advocacy for drivers who have been the victim of verbal or physical attack" and asks you to report it to inclusion@tlc.nyc.gov. It lists what staff do:

• connect you to the NYS Office of Victim Services, which can help with medical bills, counseling costs and lost wages;
• help you file a police report or a hate crime complaint with the NYPD;
• help you file a discrimination complaint with the NYC Commission on Human Rights;
• help the NYPD gather evidence for the criminal case.

The same page points to the NYPD's Crime Victim Assistance Program, staffed by Safe Horizon, which places victim advocates in each precinct.

Your app or base. Report the rider through the app's help or safety section so the account can be reviewed. For harassment that stopped short of violence, see a passenger harassed or threatened me.

Don't let the incident turn into a summons against you

TLC rules apply to drivers during every trip, including bad ones. Rule 80-12(f) bans a licensee from using or attempting to use physical force against a person ($500–$1,500 and/or a 5 to 60 day suspension, 4 points), and 80-12(e) bans threats and harassment. The rule text does not spell out a self-defense exception. If you had to protect yourself, say so to the police, keep every piece of evidence, and get a lawyer if you receive a summons or a criminal charge.

Do not keep a weapon in the car as a plan B: having one without the Chairperson's written permission means revocation under 80-15(a). See can TLC drivers carry a weapon or pepper spray.

If you were hurt: start the claim fast

Who pays depends on your license and who dispatched the trip. Our who pays if I'm hurt while driving page sorts this out. The deadlines to remember:

• Black Car Fund (Uber, Lyft and black-car bases that are members): report the injury through the BCF app or by calling 212-269-4800, press 1 (Monday–Friday, 8:15 AM–4:45 PM). A claim starts only after you speak with the Claims Team (BCF).
• Workers' compensation in general: tell your employer within 30 days and file Form C-3 with the Workers' Compensation Board within two years (WCB).
• Livery drivers: the Independent Livery Driver Benefit Fund covers injuries from crimes committed against drivers — see workers' comp for livery drivers.

If you claim a disabling injury, rule 80-13(b) says you must stop driving and surrender your TLC license until you recover — see can I drive while on workers' comp.

What New York law actually adds for drivers

Taxis must display a sticker saying "Assaulting A Driver Is Punishable By Up to Twenty-Five Years in Prison" (decal (r) in the rule 58-32 table). Here is what the law behind it does, as of our check on 2026-10-12:

• Penal Law §60.07. When a court finds that a "specified offense" was committed against someone operating a for-hire vehicle while providing for-hire service, the minimum prison term goes up by at least 3 and at most 5 years. "For-hire vehicle" means a taxicab, livery or black car designed to carry no more than five passengers. The specified offenses are serious ones: attempted 2nd-degree murder, 1st- and 2nd-degree gang assault, 1st-degree assault, 1st- and 2nd-degree manslaughter, 1st- and 2nd-degree robbery, and certain attempts. A judge may skip the increase if it would be "unduly harsh" (NY Senate).
• Penal Law §120.05(11) makes it 2nd-degree assault (a class D felony) to injure listed workers such as bus operators, train conductors, traffic agents and nurses. The version on the NY Senate site (last revised 2024-07-26) does not list taxi, for-hire or app drivers. Bills to add them have been introduced, for example A1840 of 2023-24. Check the current text before relying on this either way.

What charge is brought is up to the police and the District Attorney. Your job is to report and keep evidence; theirs is to decide the charge.

Getting support afterwards

An attack can affect sleep, focus and driving for weeks. Free, confidential help exists, including 988 and counseling in many languages — see mental health help for NYC drivers. The TLC Owner/Driver Resource Center can also connect you to legal and financial help. If time off driving hurts your income, read taking a break from driving.