A TAXI driver killed in a freak crash would probably be alive today if he had worn his seatbelt.

Now police have urged other taxi drivers to wear their belts even though the law exempts them.

Hackney carriage drivers don’t have to wear belts at any time as they can pick up passengers from the streets and are always in and out of their cars.

Private hire drivers have to be pre-booked and these drivers don’t have to wear their belts when passengers are in the vehicle.

In both cases it means that if the drivers feel intimidated or threatened by unruly passengers or robbers they can get out more quickly.

But Sgt Paul Denton from Huddersfield traffic police has urged all taxi drivers to now wear their belts after what happened to Mr Deo.

His car hit a street sign that had been bent into his side of the carriageway after another car hit a central reservation, demolishing it on Wakefield Road in Lepton minutes earlier.

The driver of this Vauxhall Astra was unhurt in the smash outside the RN Golden Subaru garage, but as he phoned to organise recovery of his damaged vehicle, Mr Deo’s taxi appeared coming the other way from Huddersfield towards Lepton.

His silver Skoda Octavia hit the sign which sent it rolling over up the road.

Mr Deo is believed to have been flung about inside the car and was partially thrown out of the vehicle by the time it came to a halt.

Sgt Denton said: “The tragedy happened about five minutes after the other car collided with the central refuge. Mr Deo wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. If he had, the chance of serious injury and tragedy would have been greatly reduced and he may have been alive today.

“If any lesson is to be taken from this we would urge taxi drivers to learn from what has happened and wear their seatbelts.

“We understand that under the law they don’t have to wear their seatbelts in certain circumstances, but they need to weigh up the risk of being attacked and having to get out quickly with the many hours they spend at the wheel.

“We would always urge them to wear their seatbelts. They really do save lives.’’

Mr Makhan Singh from the Hackney Carriage Association in Huddersfield said hardly any taxi drivers wear seatbelts in the town.

“Very, very few taxi drivers wear seatbelts and I’m not sure you’ll ever get them to wear belts. Sometimes we just don’t feel safe.”

He added: “All the taxi drivers throughout Huddersfield are deeply saddened. Mr Deo was such a popular colleague. Many have been to the family home to pay their respects.’’