Question : Scheme for Good Samaritan

(a) whether the Government has launched a scheme for Good Samaritans and if so, the details thereof along with the amount of reward that would be provided under the scheme;
(b) whether the Government has launched awareness programme about the scheme among the masses and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has not been able to control road accidents in urban and rural areas involving National/State Highways and if so, the details thereof and the the reasons therefor;
(d) whether the Government has conducted any scientific study on road accidents to help in reducing the number of such accidents and if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Government has developed any mechanism to provide immediate medical aid to persons involved in road accidents and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(f) the other steps taken by the Government to motivate the general public to help the road accident victims in emergency situation?

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. The Ministry has launched the “Scheme for grant of Award to the Good Samaritan who has saved life of a victim of a fatal accident involving a motor vehicle by administering immediate assistance and rushing to Hospital/Trauma Care Centre within the Golden Hour of the accident to provide medical treatment" on 03.10.2021. As per the Scheme Guidelines, the amount of award for each Good Samaritan would be Rs. 5,000/- per incident.
The Scheme has been widely publicized through social media including PIB Note.
(c) As per the information available with the Ministry, total number of road accidents in the country during the last three calendar years from 2018 to 2020 is given in the table below:

Year Total Number of Road Accidents
(in numbers) %
change
2018 4,67,044 -
2019 4,49,002 -3.86
2020 3,66,138 -18.46
As may be seen, there is marginal decrease in the number of road accidents.
(d) Based on the FIR data received from various States/UTs, the yearly analysis are done at Transport Research Wing of this Ministry. As per analysis of the reasons for road accidents, these mainly occur due to multiple causes such as over speeding, use of Mobile phone, drunken driving/consumption of alcohol / drug, overloaded Vehicle, vehicular condition, poor light condition, jumping red light, overtaking, neglect of civic bodies, weather condition, fault of driver, driving on wrong side, defect in road condition, defect in condition of motor vehicle, fault of cyclist, fault of pedestrian etc. Further, based upon the various studies the Ministry has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road safety based on Education, Engineering (both of roads and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency Care.
(e) As part of operation and maintenance of the National Highways under National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), there is provision of Ambulances with paramedical staff / Emergency Medical team with Technician / Nurse which are stationed near the toll plazas.

(f) Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has formulated Rules regarding the rights of Good Samaritan vide notification dated 29.09.2020 (GSR 594(E) to motivate the general public to help the road accident victims in emergency situation. As per the notification, a Good Samaritan who has informed the police of any accident involving a motor vehicle, or who has transported a victim of an accident involving a motor vehicle to the hospital, shall not be subjected to any further requirements by the police or the hospital, and shall be permitted to leave immediately. Besides, this Ministry has also issued a scheme on 21.09.2021, namely “Scheme of Financial Assistance for Administering Road Safety Advocacy and Awards for the outstanding work done in the field of road safety” through which various NGOs and other organizations organize different road safety related activities including activities to motivate general public to help the road accident victims in emergency situation and awareness about it.
*****