The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H) has proposed a new system to empower truck drivers and owners with technology for reporting road accidents. The system aims to streamline the process of investigation, documentation and settlement of claims by the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT).
How will this system help truckers?
The proposed tech system will help truck drivers and owners in the following ways:
- It will make it easier and faster for them to report road accidents and get compensation.
- It will improve the quality and reliability of the evidence and information related to the accidents.
- It will reduce the chances of errors, disputes and frauds in the investigation and documentation of the accidents.
- It will protect them from harassment, exploitation and violence that they may face after road accidents.
- It will educate them about their rights, entitlements and procedures related to road accidents, compensation and legal aid.
- It will encourage them to drive safely and follow road safety rules.
The Features of the Tech System
The proposed tech system will enable truck drivers and owners to report road accidents using their mobile phones or other devices. The system will have the following features:
- A mobile app or web portal that will allow truck drivers and owners to register themselves and their vehicles with their validated mobile numbers and insurance details.
- A feature that will allow truck drivers and owners to upload photographs, videos and other evidence of the accident scene, the vehicles involved and the injuries sustained by themselves or others.
- A feature that will allow truck drivers and owners to submit a first accident report (FAR) in a prescribed format within 48 hours of the accident to the investigating officer of police, the MACT, the state legal services authority, the insurer and the MoRT&H.
- A feature that will allow truck drivers and owners to track the status of their accident cases, receive notifications and reminders about the investigation, documentation and settlement of claims by the police, the insurer and the MACT.
- A feature that will allow truck drivers and owners to access information about their rights, entitlements and procedures related to road accidents, compensation and legal aid.
The Status of the Tech System
The MoRT&H has issued a notification on February 25, 2022 to mandate the procedure for detailed investigation of road accidents, detailed accident report (DAR) and its reporting along with timelines for different stakeholders for quick settlement of claims by MACT. The notification also made it mandatory to incorporate validated mobile numbers in the certificate of vehicle insurance. The notification will come into force from April 1, 2022.
The MoRT&H has also signed MoUs with IIT Roorkee, IIT BHU Varanasi, IIT Madras and JNTUA Ananthapuram for establishment of MoRT&H Chair Professors who will work on developing the tech system for accident reporting. The Chair Professors have been appointed in these institutes.
The MoRT&H has invited suggestions and feedback from stakeholders and public on the proposed tech system for accident reporting. The last date for submitting suggestions is March 31, 2022.