Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill 2019: No More Police Enquiry for Helping an Accident Victim

Rajya Sabha on Wednesday gave its nod to a bill which seeks to weed out corruption, improve road safety and usher in use of technology to regulate traffic, as the government assured the House that rights of the states will not be taken away. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed by a voice vote. The bill was earlier passed at the Lok Sabha too.

Presenting the bill at the Lok Sabha earlier this month, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said he is here "not to show any dream" but to fulfil promises made on better, smoother roads and latest transport technology. While several members cutting across party lines supported safety and traffic violation aspects of the Bill, they at the same time accused the Centre of trying to take away state's powers with certain provisions of the draft law.

Under the new Motor Vehicle Act, anyone helping an accident victim out of good faith won’t be liable for any civil or criminal action. Called the Good Samaritans act, the bill aims to reduce the fear among the bystanders of facing a police inquiry in case they help any accident victim.

Here’s what the clause says – “The Bill defines a good Samaritan as a person who renders emergency medical or non-medical assistance to a victim at the scene of an accident. The assistance must have been (i) in good faith, (ii) voluntary, and (iii) without the expectation of any reward. Such a person will not be liable for any civil or criminal action for any injury to or death of an accident victim, caused due to their negligence in providing assistance to the victim.”

Gadkari also said that the government has no intention to intervene with the power of states. The bill proposes a National Transportation Policy for ushering guidelines on the transportation of goods and passengers.

The minister said it will be framed only after holding consultation with the states. "We will not take away any power of the states...If some states would not like to adopt that, they would be free to do that. It is not a mandatory policy," he said.

With Inputs from PTI