Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 will attempt to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Vehicles Act,1988 looks into road safety, licenses and permits with regard to motor vehicles, and standards for motor vehicles.

What are the proposed changes?

• The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill proposes a new scheme which would allow the cashless treatment of victims in a road accident during the ‘golden hour’.
• The Bill will also provide for the constitution of a compulsory road insurance cover for all which would function under the umbrella of a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund.
• The Bill aims to develop, after due consultation with the states, a National Transportation Policy.
• It also proposes the constitution of a National Road Safety Board, which would consult the State and the Central governments on matters of road safety and the management of traffic.
• The Bill would also authorize the Centre to recall any motor vehicles if a defect in the vehicle causes environmental damage (Like Volkswagen scandal) or is majorly unsafe for the driver/others on the road due to its frequent breakdowns/other mishaps.
• The bill will also increase the penalties for several road transit offenses.
• The Bill also proposes that online tax aggregators like Ola and Uber need to be regulated, acknowledges the lack of regulations for them and these aggregators be issued licenses by the government.

What is the golden hour?

The golden hour is defined in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill as the time period of one hour following a traumatic injury, during which the likelihood of preventing death through prompt medical care is the highest. Most deaths due to road accidents take place in the golden hour as it is during this time that the loss of blood and motor functions is most severe.