The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed on July 23, 2019 to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The amendment seeks to impose strict penalties on violation of traffic rules, streamlining of licensing and its administration, and address the dire state of road safety in the country, especially after the exorbitant rise of number of vehicles, congestions, traffic violations, fatal accidents, structural and engineering deficiency of roads etc.
Background
India is a signatory to Brasilia Declaration and is committed to reduce the number of road accidents and fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020. However, with one of the highest motorization growth rate in the world accompanied by rapid expansion in road network and urbanization over the years, our country is faced with serious impacts on road safety levels. According to Road Accidents in India Report-2015, The total number of road accidents increased by 2.5 per cent from 2014 to 2015. The severity of road accidents, measured in terms of number of persons killed per 100 accidents, has increased from 28.5 in 2014 to 29.1 in 2015.
Drivers’ fault has been revealed as the single most responsible factor for road accidents, killings and injuries on all roads in the country over a long period of time. Accidents and deaths caused due to “Intake of alcohol/drugs” within the category of drivers ‘fault accounted for 4.2 per cent and 6.4 per cent respectively.
Group of state transport ministers was constituted by Central Government which has recommend reforms for the road transport sector. The group recommended for the amendment of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Salient Features
Significance of the Act
Criticism of the Amendment
Arguments in Support
Way Forward
Being a signatory of “Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety”, it is imperative to amend Motor Vehicles Act in India for reducing death related to road accident. Moreover, states should emulate the example of Tamil Nadu, which has recorded the maximum decline in fatalities, of almost 25% by having-
Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety
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