Unlicensed taxi warning in South Yorkshire over Christmas
Sexual assault, robbery and serious accidents - that's what what we're risking if we use unlicensed taxis in South Yorkshire this Christmas
As we hit peak Christmas party season in South Yorkshire, there's a warning not to use unsilenced taxis over the festive period.
We're being warned we risk sexual assault, robbery and serious accidents if we get in a taxi that isn't licensed by the local council - as more so-called 'touts' are apparently targeting people on social media.
It means they're not insured to have passengers, haven't had a criminal record check, and their car's not been looked over to make sure it's roadworthy - all of which are carried out by councils when taxis are licensed.
Roy Miller - from Barnsley Council - says it can be really dangerous:
"It's the possibility of robbery, rape or an accident. If you have an injury in a crash in an unlicensed vehicle everything that happens to you could then change your life - you might have to finish work, you might not be carrying on life as you did before.
"I'd rather see one or two people being caught doing this than somebody getting injured. When you've got vulnerable young boys and young girls going home quite late at night quite drunk when they've had a good night in Barnsley, I want them to be safe - I don't want to read in the press that something terrible has happened to them.
"Please be careful. Please enjoy yourself but please do not use these 'tout' drivers because they're not qualified, they're not safe and they don't know what they're going to do. It tends to be the younger drivers who don't tend to see the dangers late at night.”
We're being urged never to accept a cheap lift on social media - and if we do have doubts, to ring our local council straight away.