The Haredi community makes use of pirate taxi services

According to this investigation, the Haredi world's made use of a cheaper but seriously illegal alternative to commercial taxis, one that's even cost the life of an infant:

The shocking accident that occurred last Friday on Israel's Highway 1, in which a 1-month-old infant was killed, was not an act of fate. It was a warning, written in blood.

The driver was not a licensed taxi driver, the infant was not strapped in, and the entire ride took place in a blind spot of Israeli law enforcement. This disaster happened on Highway 1, but with thousands of drivers operating without a shred of oversight, it is a danger that can meet anyone at every junction and in every city in Israel.

A false declaration to a bot, and you're on the road

To understand just how wide open the system is, Israel Hayom has sent an investigator to see how easy it is to become a "driver." The process was alarmingly quick: He contacted a bot-based registration system, entered false details, and the registration was completed without a hitch. No one asked to see a driver's license, no one checked the vehicle documents, and no questions were raised about insurance or the driver's identity.

While taxi drivers in Israel are required to undergo training, strict medical examinations and security screening, in the world of the "drivers" the front door is open to anyone. There is no requirement to present a valid driver's license, and no one checks the driver's traffic record.

After paying a nominal membership fee, the investigator began receiving ride offers and even carried out a ride in Jerusalem. During the ride, an English-speaking tourist who had come to Israel for a short vacation got into the car.

Asked how she had heard about the "drivers" network, she revealed just how deep the phenomenon runs. "My sister, who studied in Israel, recommended that I avoid taxis and use this service," she said. "They arrive quickly, with luxury cars, and take you with no problems." What she did not know was that in the event of an accident, she was riding in a vehicle without insurance coverage for paid passenger transport.

To secular Israelis, the term "driver" may sound like the community's version of Uber. That is a dangerous lie. While international ride-hailing apps have oversight, driver ratings and regulated insurance, in the world of the drivers, everything is wide open.

When there is no requirement to present documents, there is no one to verify that the vehicle has the proper insurance, the only insurance that covers passengers in the event of injury. Without that coverage, in the event of an accident, passengers find themselves with no financial or medical safety net.

Read it all. This is what the Haredi community's now led to, and it's simultaneously stupefying how the legal system stratospherically failed to take measures to curb this case. Will measures be taken to disqualify any and all pirate taxi drivers after this tragedy?