Anti-Violence

Drive for Safety Campaign

Goal: End violence against taxi drivers

Recently, a cabdriver named Walid Ziada was assaulted while on the job and sustained serious injuries. Under Illinois law, the battery of a taxi driver while on the job is considered “aggravated battery.”

However, the police who responded to the emergency call classified the attack on Mr. Ziada as a simple assault. One of the offenders was charged with a misdemeanor while the other attacker remains at large. UTCC has been working tirelessly to obtain justice for Mr. Ziada.

We are currently trying to have the charges against Mr. Ziada’s attackers upgraded to a felony so that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent required by law. In addition, we are working on a campaign to install safety placards inside of taxicabs in the City of Chicago stating that an attack on a cabdriver is considered to be an aggravated assault. We are also continuing to educate the public about the dangers that cabdrivers face, each day on the job.