Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019

Curb on Children Riding Vehicles

- Chhaya Khosla, Advocate, New Delhi

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha on 15th July 2019, by the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari. The Bill received the assent of the President on 9th August 2019 and the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 came into force from 1st September 2019. The Act amends the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and intends to provide for road safety. The Act provides for grant of licenses, permits related to motor vehicles, standards for motor vehicles, penalties for violation of these provisions and imposes a liability on guardian or the owner of the vehicle responsible for an accident caused by a juvenile. For these provisions, there are no further amendments in Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

Crucial for A Country Like India

As per the record, road accidents in India have resulted in deaths of around 1.46 lakh to 1.5 lakh people every year between 2015 and 2017. Due to an increase in the number of road accidents and resulting deaths, the Ministry of Transport and Highways has admitted in the Parliament that a stricter legislation is required to curb these accidents. It has been highlighted that among vehicle categories involved in road accidents, two-wheelers account for the highest share (33.9%) in total accidents and fatalities. Light vehicles comprising of cars, jeeps and taxis, as a category, constitute 24.5% in total accidents and 21.1% in total fatalities.

The Amendment Act aims at enhancing road safety, improving process of issuing licenses and permits, weeding out corruption in RTO offices and ushering use of technology for regulating road traffic.

Salient Features of Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019

• Driver refresher training course: It has introduced a condition to undergo ‘driving refresher training course’ for reviving license after suspension/ revocation under Section 19.