Compensation For Road Accident Victims To Increase Ten Fold — Revised First Time In Two Decades

According to TOI, this amount will be payable to the victim or they're next of kin. The compensation will be paid in case of death, permanent disability or any minor injuries.

The compensation amount has been revised after a period of 24 years. However, the government has left the option for people to further pursue their case with the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT). In case they feel they deserve a higher compensation.

As per the new norms by the government, a compensation of Rs 5 lakh will b paid in case of a fatality. While an amount between Rs 50,000 to 5 lakh will be paid for permanent disability based on the extent.

There will also be an annual increase of 5 percent on the compensations. This is in a bid to provide a source of quick relief for accident victims. According to sources, 1.5 lakh people die due to road accidents annually, while another 5 lakh get injured.

Currently, a compensation of Rs 50,000 in case of death. While the compensation for permanent disability is set at Rs 25,000 as per the ‘non-fault liability' norm.

Here the victim is not required to prove the negligence of the motor vehicle driver and is binding on insurance firms. However, all cases end up going to MACT, as no one accepts the low compensation offered.

The cases taken to the MACT will be provided compensation based on a structured formula. While, taking into consideration the age, income and number of dependants of the victim.

Thoughts On The Increase In Compensation For Road Accident Victims

Though the Motor Vehicles Act provided various amendments, it was never revised. The idea behind the revision is to reduce the number of cases. While still allowing those who want higher compensation, to go ahead with legal proceedings.