Union Cabinet has approved Motor Vehicle Bill 2016 with an aim to improve road safety in the country. The bill will bring about heftier penalties for traffic rules violation, juvenile driving, drunken driving, driving without license, dangerous driving, over-speeding, overloading.

Reason behind approving Motor Vehicle  Bill 2016

The NDA government aims to bring down the number of fatalities by 50% in five years. New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016 has proposed a significant increase in penalties for road safety-related incidents and traffic violations.

Provision of  Motor Vehicle Bill 2016

Under the new provisions approved by the Cabinet, drunk-driving will now attract Rs 10,000 fine. A fine of Rs 1,000-4,000 will be imposed for over-speeding. In cases of juvenile offenders the guardian/owner will be deemed guilty. Vehicle registration will be cancelled.

In the wake of rising hit-and-run cases Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016 proposes a compensation of up to Rs 2 lakh. The compensation amount earlier was Rs 25,000. In case of death due to hit-and-run, compensation up to Rs 10 lakh would be provided to the victim’s family.

Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016 is based on the recommendations of transport ministers from 18 States.

Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016 that the State Government can specify a multiplier, not less than one and not greater than ten. It will be applied to each fine under this Act and such modified fine.

Meanwhile Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said. ‘The Motor vehicle 2016 passed by cabinet as biggest reforms in the Road Safety & transport sector.’

It is to be mentioned here that Indian roads witness 400 deaths every day. India sees nearly five lakh road accidents a year in which 1.5 lakh people die and another 3 lakh get crippled.