New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the Centre and states to evolve ways to enact a supportive legal framework to encourage 'good Samaritans’ in a bid to reduce road accident deaths in the country which on an average stands at 1.5 lakh every year.
The court was of the view that most bystanders and witnesses to an accident hesitate to help victims for fear of being harassed in hospitals, police stations and courts where they are repeatedly summoned. "There is no denial of the fact that many deaths and loss of limbs and serious disfiguration of victims can be saved by timely medical attention. Lack of adequate number of good Samaritans largely because of legal and other impediments is one of the reason deaths are high", a bench headed by chief justice P Sathasivam said. |
