New Delhi:
In an unique step to save people who help the road accident victims, Supreme Courts has approved a set of landmark guidelines suggested by Ministry of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Now, you need not to be worried about unnecessary harassment from police and hospital authorities if you help someone in dire need of help after accident. Here are 10 things you must know about this new law.
1) Any bystander, including an eyewitness to a road mishap, will be allowed to leave immediately after taking the injured to the nearest hospital without furnishing his address.
2) All registered public and private hospitals will not detain a person who brings the victim. Nor demand payment for registration and admission costs.
3) Police officials will not ask the saviours any questions and he would be later given a choice to record his statement before the court through video conferencing.
4) If some police officer harasses the Samaritan, the Departmental or disciplinary action shall be initiated against the officer who coerces or intimidates the informer.
5) If the witness volunteers to go before the court to depose in the case, the trial judge shall complete his examination in one sitting.
6) SC order came on a PIL filed by an NGO, Savelife Foundation, which said more than four lakh road accidents took place in 2014.
7) The number of deaths also increased from 1.37 lakh in 2013 to 1.39 lakh in 2014.
8) The centre has to approach the apex court after the former objected that states as under the Constitution, law and order is a state subject.
9) Now with Supreme Court’s approval, every state is bound to follow the guidelines.
10) The order is expected to save the lives of hundreds of road accident victims in the country as it has been widely seen that people often avoid helping victims fearing harassment by police and other law enforcing agencies later.
