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Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019
August 15 , 2019
1845 days
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- It was introduced in parliament by the Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
- The Bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to provide for road safety.
- The Act provides for grant of licenses and permits related to motor vehicles, standards for motor vehicles, and penalties for violation of these provisions.
Important Changes
- The central government will develop a scheme for cashless treatment of road accident victims during golden hour.
- The Bill defines golden hour as the time period of up to one hour following a traumatic injury, during which the likelihood of preventing death through prompt medical care is the highest.
- The Bill increases the minimum compensation for hit and run cases as follows
- In case of death, from Rs 25,000 to two lakh rupees, and
- In case of grievous injury, from Rs 12,500 to Rs 50,000.
- The Bill requires the central government to constitute a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, to provide compulsory insurance cover to all road users in India.
- 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 Bill allows the central government to order for recall of motor vehicles if a defect in the vehicle may cause damage to the environment, or the driver, or other road users.
- The manufacturer of the recalled vehicle will be required to
- reimburse the buyers for the full cost of the vehicle, or
- replace the defective vehicle with another vehicle with similar or better specifications.
- The central government may develop a National Transportation Policy, in consultation with state governments.
- The Bill provides for a National Road Safety Board, to be created by the central government through a notification.
- The Bill defines aggregators as digital intermediaries or market places which can be used by passengers to connect with a driver for transportation purposes (taxi services).
- These aggregators will be issued licenses by state.
- Further, they must comply with the Information Technology Act, 2000.
- The Bill increases penalties for several offences under the Act.
- For example, the maximum penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs has been increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000.
- If a vehicle manufacturer fails to comply with motor vehicle standards, the penalty will be a fine of up to Rs 100 crore, or imprisonment of up to one year, or both.
- If a contractor fails to comply with road design standards, the penalty will be a fine of up to one lakh rupees.
- The central government may increase fines mentioned under the Act every year by up to 10%.
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