A Shanghai's hospital is checking the health of 1,000 taxi drivers after three drivers died in their cabs in the past two months.

Cab drivers arrived early yesterday for their examinations at Hongkang Hospital. The hospital will suggest ways to improve their health.

Most taxi companies don't provide drivers with regular health checks and drivers themselves have a poor awareness of health care.

Three drivers died of cardiovascular syndromes in their cars in July and August. The large temperature differences inside and outside the car may also have contributed to their deaths, officials said.

"We will finish an evaluation report on each driver and provide an overall conclusion to each company, which should provide more care for drivers," said Liao Chuanping of Hongkang Hospital.

Local taxi drivers said the deaths sparked concern among the industry. "We all work for 12 hours or more. The long-term overtime and difficult life style impairs the health of many drivers," said Zhu Lingdi, a female driver at Shanghai Bashi Taxi Co, whose officials yesterday promised to give health examinations for its staff in future.

(Shanghai Daily September 14, 2007)