Union minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that the government will increase the reward for “Good Samaritans” helping accident victims by five times to Rs 25,000. This change will apply to national and state highways, as well as district, city, and Gram Panchayat roads.

1. Government to provide cashless benefit of up to Rs 1.5 lakh as well
2. Delhi recorded the highest number of city accidents in 2022 in India
3. Speeding, drunk driving, road rage and poor road conditions are a few factors behind these crashes.

“For those taking these victims to a hospital or trauma centre within the first hour, the current Rs 5,000 reward is inadequate and should be increased,” Gadkari said during a road safety program, which was also attended by actor Anupam Kher. 

Good Samaritan law

A Good Samaritan (a term first used in the Bible) is someone who, “without expectation of payment or reward and any duty of care or special relationship, voluntarily comes forward to administer immediate assistance or emergency care to a person injured in an accident, crash, or emergency medical condition”, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways website. The law also protects ‘Good Samaritans’ from harassment for their help.

“Once an FIR is filed and recorded online, the victim can avail cashless treatment for a maximum of seven days from the date of the accident, of up to Rs 1.5 lakh...The entire system is being made transparent, time-bound, and computerised to ensure that help is given as quickly as possible,” Gadkari added.

Road accidents in India

Metro cities like Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai have seen an alarming increase in road accidents in the past few years. In 2022, Delhi alone recorded 1,412 fatalities, the highest number of accidents in India. That explains the chaotic driving conditions that exist in these places. 

A 2023 Autocar Professional report stated that fatalities caused by a 'hit from back' accounted for 19.5 percent of all accident-related deaths. This was closely followed by 'hit-and-run' accidents, which accounted for 18.1 percent of the total, and 'head-on collisions', which accounted for 15.7 percent.