Govt to roll out ‘free and cashless medical’ facility for road accident victims in 3-4 months

The Union government is planning to introduce a facility of free and cashless medical treatment of road accident victims in three to four months.

“Free and cashless medical treatment to accident-injured victims is part of the amended Motor Vehicle Act 2019 (MVA2019). Some states have implemented it but now the Ministry of Roads in league with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be fully implementing it across the nation,” road transport and highways secretary Anurag Jain said.

The cashless medical facility will be rolled out in three to four months, he added.

It is aimed at providing access to cashless trauma care treatment for road accident victims at the nearest appropriate hospital in the country, in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling, said the road transport secretary.

“Such cashless treatment shall be extended to road accident victims including during golden hour, as defined by the MV Amendment Act,” he also said.

Golden hour is referred to the critical first hour after a road accident with casualties when prompt medical attention can make all the difference.

India has the highest number of road accident deaths in the world, said Jain at an event organized by the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE). 

For education and awareness about road safety, the Union ministry of education has agreed to include road safety as part of the curriculum for schools and colleges to be implemented soon, said the road transport secretary.

“For vehicular engineering, several steps have been taken including seat belt reminder and introduction of Bharat NCAP,” he said.

IRTE President Rohit Baluja said that the global road safety experts attending the event will be working towards deliberating and finalizing suggestive codes of safe practice for driver certification, diagnosis of road crashes through multi-disciplinary crash investigation and safety of vulnerable road users.