Rights of Samaritan: ‘Awareness Drive’ held at Anantnag

ANANTNAG, FEBRUARY 07: As part of National Road Safety Month 2024, Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) Anantnag today held an awareness programme for raising Awareness regarding ‘The Good Samaritan Law’ among the applicants who had come for driving test here at Harnag.

It was given that ‘The Good Samaritan Law’ was established in India in 2016 in response to widespread harassment of bystanders who helped road crash victims. Those who assisted victims were often assumed to be responsible and arrested or made to pay medical fees.

Speaking on the occasion, Assistant Regional Transport Officer Anantnag, Dr Mohammad Zubair Lattoo said that accident cases require the fastest care and rescue which could be provided by those closest to the scene of the accident.  Bystanders’ clear support is essential to enhance the chances of survival of victims in the ‘Golden Hour’ i.e. the first hour of the injury.

As per the WHO India Recommendations, 50% of the victims die in the first 15 minutes due to serious cardiovascular or nervous system injuries and the rest can be saved through by providing basic life support during the ‘Golden Hour’.

However, the people who are standing near the accident places have fear that touching the body of the accident victim could lay them liable for police interrogation. Therefore, passers-by play safe and choose to wait for the police to arrive and in this process, the injured gradually bleeds to death. People are reluctant to come forward for help to the victims of the accident. It is very necessary to protect Good Samaritans from the harassment being taken by them to save the life of the road accident victims. 

Dr Zubair further said that people are not aware of the Law which gives them legal protection in case they come to help the accident victim. We need training programmes on such laws so that everybody understands about the law.

Later, a pledge ceremony on Road Safety was also organised on the occasion.