SC: Pass executive order to protect Good Samaritans

NEW DELHI: In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to pass an executive order to protect Good Samaritans, who rush road accident victims to hospitals, from harassment at the hands of police and from being summoned as witnesses in court.

The order came from a bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman on a PIL filed by NGO 'SaveLife Foundation', which claimed that 75% of bystanders do not help a road accident victim fearing harassment at the hands of police, hospital authorities and possibly being made a witness in court.

This order directing the government to implement the recommendations of a high-level committee will remain effective till Parliament enacts a law to provide protection to Good Samaritans.

The bench asked the government to base the executive order on the detailed recommendations submitted by a court-appointed expert committee headed by the additional secretary in the home ministry. Ministry of road transport and highways submitted an affidavit saying it agreed with the recommendations.

The report recommended a holistic approach with special emphasis on creation of a lead agency responsible for implementation of all aspects of road safety in states and Union Territories, and protection of Good Samaritans from legal hassles as a result of helping an injured person.

The report said, "In the last 10 years, more than 10 lakh people have died in road accidents in India. According to the World Health Organization, India has the dubious distinction of leading the world in road accident deaths. In 2012, there were 15 deaths every hour due to road accidents and 20 children below the age of fourteen died every day from this epidemic. Studies have pointed out that males in the prime of their life are the people most commonly killed, and they very often provide the majority of the household income. Hence, road deaths are often the trigger for a household to slip into poverty."