Limo Safety

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- The fatal New York limousine crash that killed 20 people has sparked attention across the country.

Safety among other things have been a priority of the investigation and local limousine companies are taking notice as well.

Columbus limousine owner Leo Robinson says that he will put more emphasis on safety now more than ever to keep his business up to par.

“When something like this happens you know on a national level of course it’s time to revisit that,” said Robinson. “It’s time to bring up any new ideas or any fresh ideas, fresh approach to safety and I think that’s one of the most important things that’s been a vital part of the success of our business.”

Part of keeping safety first is weekly maintenance checks on service vehicles.

Robinson says it is not unusual to have a couple of his cars worked on after a week’s worth of driving.

“Really there’s not a week that goes by that we don’t have some type of maintenance issue,” said Robinson. “That’s just staying on top of your feet you know we own and operate 12 vehicles here and that requires basically maintenance and servicing of something just about every week.”

State law demands that each limo driver is certified with a Commercial Driver’s License as well as a specific class describing the number of people they can drive.

Leo’s Luxury Limos’ 12 cars allow parties of all sizes to have a good time while staying safe.

However, Robinson says it is not so much about serving larger parties that makes him happy but more so of an understanding that each passenger should return home safe.

“Each of those passengers represents a family,” said Robinson. “And we’re all family you know members as well as you know we’re providers for our families, and this gives us an opportunity to see what’s at stake. Not just a party or not just a good time but the safe return of that family back to their rightful owners.”

Mississippi state law does not prohibit passengers from not wearing a seat belt while in a limo; however, Robinson continues to encourage all passengers to buckle up.

His 20 years of business has allowed him to stay on top of new rules and regulations as well as understand how to prevent fatal crashes from happening in the Mississippi area.

“This is not something that we take lightly,” said Robinson. “Safety is a very serious issue and we take pride in putting safety first. This will be a wake up call that requires us to do that, and take a fresher look at it again.”