BonnieKoontz: general expanded page per standard format and improved wording

2024-04-25T16:20:10Z

general expanded page per standard format and improved wording

2.51.22.142: Jammu and Kashmir (state) → Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

2021-05-28T22:40:19Z

Jammu and Kashmir (state) → Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

New page

{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = Good Samaritan Law
| legislature =
| image = [[File:Emblem of the Supreme Court of India.svg|Emblem of the Supreme Court of India]]
| long_title = A law to give protection for those who help an accident victim from legal interventions.
| citation =
| territorial_extent = Whole of [[States and Union Territories of India]]
| enacted_by = [[Supreme Court of India]]
| date_enacted = 30 March 2016
| date_assented =
| date_commenced =
| bill =
| bill_citation =
| bill_date =
| introduced_by =
| 1st_reading =
| 2nd_reading =
| 3rd_reading =
| summary =
| keywords =
| status = in force
| Amended In = Motor Vehicles Act 2019
}}

India's '''Good Samaritan Law''' was passed as a Bill by the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme court of India]] on March 30, 2016 and gave the "Force of Law" to the guidelines for the protection of Good Samaritans and then issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.<ref>{{Citation|title=Ministry of Road Transport and Highways|date=2020-04-30|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ministry_of_Road_Transport_and_Highways&oldid=953996274|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=2020-05-01}}</ref> In the consecutive months, the state governments have passed GO (Government Order).<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu government passes GO|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/tamil-nadu-govt-issues-guidelines-to-protect-good-samaritans-116102200009_1.html|date=22 October 2016|newspaper=Business Standard India|last1=India|first1=Press Trust of}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Go passed in Tamil Nadu|url=https://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/tamil-nadu-government-issues-guidelines-to-protect-good-samaritans-1477567|website=NDTV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=GO passed in Tamil Nadu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/G.O.-comes-to-rescue-of-Good-Samaritans/article16078554.ece|date=22 October 2016|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref> Later, it was included in the draft of Motor Vehicle Act 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Motor Vehicle Act 2019|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210413.pdf|website=National Informatics Centre}}</ref> Also issued were operating procedures for Good Samaritans.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Operating procedure for Good Samaritans|url=https://tnsta.gov.in/pdf/good_samaritans.pdf|website=tnsta.gov.in}}</ref> Important points stated are

* Police should not involve the Good Samaritans<ref>{{Cite web|title=Good Samaritan|url=http://morth-roadsafety.nic.in/pdf/Good-Samaritan.pdf|website=Ministry of Road Transport and Highways}}</ref> for investigation.
* Hospitals should not refuse to treat the accident victims and should not charge for First Aid.
* Good Samaritans should be protected from civil and criminal liability.
* Good Samaritans need not reveal their identity.
* Good Samaritans can choose to be an eyewitness, and should not be compelled otherwise.

==Background==

India is the second largest country in the world after China to lose more number of lives in road accidents. As per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways statistics.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Accident statistics|url=https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMjIzMTY5MmQtNjZmZC00OTAyLTkzOGMtYWEyOWYwZDE1YjU2IiwidCI6IjViN2ExMDIzLTI1ODgtNGU3Yi05MjZlLTgwYzllY2EwNWQ4OCIsImMiOjEwfQ%3D%3D|website=Ministry of Road Transport & Highways}}</ref> 1317 crashes and 413 deaths everyday or 55 crashes and 17 deaths every hour happen due to road crashes in India. More than 50% accident victims die because they don't receive medical attention during the [[Golden hour (medicine)|Golden Hour]]. In reality, by standers don't often come to help the accident victims, fearing legal intervention. [[Good Samaritan law]]s exist in many countries to provide legal protection to bystanders who assist accident victims.

==Awareness and Impact==

=== First Good Samaritan Law Day ===
To educate the public on issues of concern either nationally or globally, a day is required where a multitude of individuals from all walks of life get involved, in a way or another and hence for the same reason, 30 March 2020 was first celebrated as '''Good Samaritan Law Day''' in India by '''Thozhan''', an [[Non-governmental organization|NGO]] based in [[Chennai]]. Thozhan have been working on various activities like environmental conservation, coastal cleanups, leadership development, community empowerment, etc. from 2007 across [[Tamil Nadu]]. Of these activities, road safety<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thozhan's job is your safety, create awareness about helping accident victims|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/oct/29/thozhans-job-is-your-safety-create-awareness-about-helping-accident-victims-1686500.html|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> was being concentrated extensively from 2013 in the aim of transforming our country as an "Accident Free Nation" where they conduct "Traffic Awareness Campaigns" <ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title='Yama' the god of death on Chennai streets to teach road safety rules|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/yama-the-god-of-death-on-chennai-streets-to-teach-road-safety-rules-1199289.html|date=2016-02-05|website=News18|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> in public places such as live traffic signals, parks, beaches, etc. every week where their volunteers holding awareness placards & banners interact and remind commuters about the importance of following traffic rules and safety gears. And special campaigns happen during Road Safety Week<ref>{{Cite web|title=Campaigning for road safety|url=https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2016/05/03105031/Campaigning-for-road-safety.vpf|last=100010509524078|date=2016-05-03|website=dtNext.in|language=en|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> and other national days of importance by doing [[cosplay]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/when-batman-superman-and-spiderman-came-educate-chennai-folks-traffic-rules-84274|website=www.thenewsminute.com|access-date=2020-05-16|title=When Batman, Superman and Spiderman came to educate Chennai folks on traffic rules}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=This NGO got students to cosplay Batman, Superman at traffic signals for road safety|url=https://www.edexlive.com/people/2018/aug/06/this-ngo-got-students-to-cosplay-batman-superman-at-traffic-signals-for-road-safety-3584.html|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> to promote road safety in public places. Few of the major activities done by them for educating the importance of road safety are conducting Traffic Awareness Campaign in 100 signals at same day and same time by involving thousands of youngsters from various volunteering organizations, student groups and public in 2014,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mission to Free State of Accidents|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2014/aug/11/Mission-to-Free-State-of-Accidents-646374.html|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> 2015,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thozhan Spreads The Word About Traffic Rules, at 100 Signals in City|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2015/aug/11/Thozhan-Spreads-The-Word-About-Traffic-Rules-at-100-Signals-in-City-797681.html|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> 2016<ref>{{Cite news|date=2016-08-09|title=A campaign with 'Lord Yama' at forefront|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/A-campaign-with-%E2%80%98Lord-Yama%E2%80%99-at-forefront/article14560144.ece|access-date=2020-05-16|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> and foot board awareness<ref>{{Cite web|title=NGO kickstarts campaign against footboard {{!}} Chennai News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/NGO-kickstarts-campaign-against-footboard/articleshow/50765200.cms|last=Jan 29|first=Kamini Mathai {{!}} TNN {{!}} Updated|last2=2016|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2020-05-16|last3=Ist|first3=05:37}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Please Don't Ride Footboard on Buses: Thozhan Members|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/jan/30/Please-Dont-Ride-Footboard-on-Buses-Thozhan-Members-875058.html|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> for public commuters across Chennai in 67 bus stops which is a step to prevent accidents from happening. In the year 2017,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Road safety awareness: Group takes road safety awareness to 71 parks {{!}} Chennai News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/group-takes-road-safety-awareness-to-71-parks/articleshow/59946237.cms|last=Aug 7|first=TNN {{!}} Updated|last2=2017|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2020-05-16|last3=Ist|first3=08:23}}</ref> 2018,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Workshops to create awareness: Workshops to create awareness on golden hour {{!}} Chennai News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/workshops-to-create-awareness-on-golden-hour/articleshow/65267329.cms|last=Aug 4|first=TNN {{!}}|last2=2018|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2020-05-16|last3=Ist|first3=10:33}}</ref> 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Creating an army of good Samaritans in Chennai|url=https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2019/08/12013922/1171080/Creating-an-army-of-good-Samaritans-in-Chennai.vpf|last=100010509524078|date=2019-08-12|website=dtNext.in|language=en|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Golden hour, CPR and more: Life-saving lessons we should all know {{!}}|url=https://chennai.citizenmatters.in/chennai-thozan-awareness-drive-on-road-safety-golden-hour-cpr-good-samaritan-law-11209|last=V|first=Mahesh|date=2019-08-09|website=Citizen Matters, Chennai|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> mega awareness drive was carried out in public parks to create awareness about Good Samaritan Law and Golden Hour [[first aid]] training in more than 75 public parks respectively at the same day and same time by the volunteers certified by [[GVK EMRI]]. During the First Good Samaritan Law Day, they educated and created awareness about this law through online campaign where more than 500 volunteers and public pledged to be a Good Samaritans and also taught their family members about the Good Samaritan Law. They organized virtual pledging through google sheets, video & audio forms in order to reach out the public during the [[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19]] lock down. This was followed by giving representation to the State and Central Government authorities to announce this day officially.

=== India's First Online Mega Awareness Campaign ===
In August 2020, Thozhan has organized a mega online awareness campaign across India where many NGOs, college students, school students and public have participated on it. Trainers from their team have took session on Good Samaritan Law and Golden Hour via [[Zoom Video Communications|zoom]] to more than 2750+ participants on a span of 2 days. The first day, 8th August 2020 the session was held continuously from 10 AM to 9 PM and on 9th August 2020 also session were held continuously for 12 hours where the participants attended are from [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[Punjab]], [[Delhi]], [[Gujarat]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Bangalore]], [[Kerala]] and [[Tamil Nadu]] and took pledge to help accident victims which makes this as a 1st mega national level awareness campaign happened so far in our country for road safety. Demands were put, letters were written and sent to the [[Prime Minister of India]], Ministry of Road Transport & highways, [[President of India]] and [[Vice President of India]] to implement “Good Samaritan Law” as a full-fledged law in the upcoming parliamentary session.
== References ==

{{reflist}}

__INDEX__
__FORCETOC__

{{DEFAULTSORT:Good_Samaritan_Law_India}}
[[Category:Road safety]]
[[Category:Law in India]]
[[Category:Accidents]]
[[Category:Road accidents and incidents]]
[[Category:Road safety organizations]]

Good Samaritan Law (India) - Revision history

BonnieKoontz: general expanded page per standard format and improved wording

2.51.22.142: Jammu and Kashmir (state) → Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)