News: Seven years after the Act, India continues to face high road fatalities, highlighting gaps in enforcement, road engineering and road-user behaviour.

About the Act

The 2019 Act amended the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and strengthened India’s road-safety framework through a Safe Systems approach.

Key Provisions

• Stricter penalties + automated enforcement through electronic monitoring.
• Good Samaritan protection → shields those providing emergency assistance from harassment/liability.
• Golden Hour care → provision for cashless emergency trauma treatment.
• Vehicle recall → mandatory recall of defective vehicles.
• Contractor accountability → penalties for unsafe road design/construction.
• Hit-and-run compensation → enhanced compensation for victims.