Government will soon provide universal insurance cover to all those who get injured in road crashes so that they are not deprived of immediate medical care. In a significant move, the road transport ministry in its proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act has provisioned for a fund that will ensure free treatment of grievously injured victims.
The amendment bill introduced in Lok Sabha has proposed setting up a motor vehicle accident fund, which will be used for medical expenses of grievous hurt persons till they stabilise.
The provision gains importance considering the fact that at least five lakh people were left injured in road crashes last year and according to government reports at least 50% lives can be saved, if they get quick medical care within the first one hour of the crash. Road crashes claimed 1.46 lakh lives in 2015.
According to the bill, the fund can be created by collecting certain cess or tax, any grant or loan made by the central government or any other source of finance as may be prescribed by the government.
