Accident victims' rescuers not to be held liable

A bystander or a Good Samaritan, who takes injured persons to hospitals or informs police by phone about the accident, would never be harassed in any manner or put any question to, and would be allowed to leave immediately from the concerned health centre, said Transport Minister Ramesh Majhi.

Notably, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had issued a notification to this effect in May this year. The notification asked the States to ensure that the bystanders and Good Samaritans would not be liable for any civil and criminal liability relating to the accident.

"Bystanders were hesitating to take accident victims to hospitals fearing that they would be put to trouble. Now, they need not fear taking such victims to hospitals as they will not be detained or asked any question regarding the accident and would be allowed to leave concerned hospital immediately without even revealing their names," Majhi told mediapersons here.

The Central notification also wanted that the by-standers or Good Samaritans should be suitably rewarded or compensated by State authorities so that other citizens would be encouraged to help road accident victims in taking them to hospitals and calling police for help.The disclosure of personal information, such as name and contact details of the Good Samaritans shall be made voluntary and optional, it instructed.

Even as a bystander or Good Samaritan voluntarily wants to be an eyewitness to the accident, he or she should be examined on a single occasion by concerned police. He or she should not be harassed or intimidated any way. The disciplinary or departmental action would be initiated against public officials who would coerce or intimidate any bystander for revealing their names or personal details, the notification read.

All registered Government and private hospitals will also not demand registration fees or admission costs of accident victims unless the Good Samaritan is a family member or relative of the injured. They would start treatment immediately on arrival of the victims. Doctors who would neglect such victims would be subjected to disciplinary action, it stated.All the hospitals would put a board at their respective entrances stating that bystanders would never be detained and asked for registration money for treatment of the accident victims.