Amendments in the Motor Vehicle Act Improves Road Safety Scenario; Reduces Loss of Lives

As per the information available with Transport Research Wing (TRW), total number of road accidents in the country during the last three calendar years from 2018 to 2020 (provisional) is given in the table below:

Year	Total Number of Road Accidents (in numbers)	% change
2018	4,67,044	0.46
2019	4,49,002	-3.86
2020 (Provisional)	3,66,138	-18.46

The Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 passed by Parliament focuses on road safety and includes, inter-alia, hike in penalties for traffic violations, electronic monitoring of the same, enhanced penalties for juvenile driving, computerization/automation of vehicle fitness and driving, tests, recall of defective vehicles, streamlining the third party insurance and payment of increased compensation for hit and run cases etc. The Amendment has strengthened the Law to improve the road Safety scenario and reduce loss of lives.

The Ministry issues regulations to improve vehicle safety standards, undertakes site specific interventions to address black spots, and also mobilises various activities to promote road safety such as road safety advocacy and awareness programmes. Ministry has notified fitment of Speed Limiting devices on all transport vehicles. It has also issue of Guidelines for protection of Good Samaritans. Additionally, the following initiatives have been taken: -

i. Section 91 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 has placed a restriction on the hours of work of drivers operating Motor Vehicles.

ii. Ministry vide G.S.R. 1433(E) dated 20th November 2017 amended sub-rule (4) of Rule 125C and mandated that for vehicles manufactured on or after the 1st January, 2018, an air conditioning system be installed in the vehicle cabin or truck cabin ventilation system in accordance with AIS-056(Rev 1): 2017.

iii. Scheme for setting up of model Driving Training Institutes in States/UTs with central assistance.

iv. Scheme for setting up one model Inspection & Certification Centre in each State/UT with Central assistance for testing the fitness of vehicles through an automated system.

v. Observance of National Road Safety Week/month every year for spreading awareness and strengthening road safety.

vi. Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage.

vii. The threshold for four laning of national highway has been reduced from 15,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) to 10,000 PCUs.

viii.Ministry has delegated powers to Regional Officers of MORTH for technical approval to the detailed estimates for rectification of identified Road Accident black spots for expediting the rectification process to ensure safety of road users.

ix. Guidelines for pedestrian facilities on National Highways for persons with disabilities have also been issued to all States / UTs.

x. Removal of Liquor Shops as per directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court vide circular of F. No. RW/NH-33044/309/2016/S&R dated 06-04-2017 and 01-06-2017.

xi. Advance Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) as detailed in Manual of Expressways, 6 lanes and 4 lanes are to be provided for smoother and safer flow of vehicles. ATMS may have sub systems like Emergency Call Boxes, Mobile Communication Systems, Variable Message Sign Systems, Meteorological Data System, Automatic traffic Counter and Vehicle Classification, Video Surveillance System and Video Incident Detection System (VIDS). Moreover, various incident managed service like Ambulances, life support system, crane service etc. are also provided by the concessionaires /contractors for such developed Highways as per the stipulation of the scope of work.

This information was given by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 2 August 2021.