Road ministry issues new rules on road accident reporting for claim settlement

The road ministry on Thursday said it has issued a notification 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 the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT).

The ministry in a statement further said the incorporation of validated mobile numbers in the certificate of vehicle insurance has also been made mandatory.

The new rules will come into force from April 1, 2022.

According to the notification, immediately on receipt of the information of a road accident, the investigating officer of police shall inspect the site of accident, take photographs of the scene of the accident and the vehicle(s) involved in the accident and prepare a site plan.

In injury cases, the investigating officer (IO) shall also take the photographs of the injured in the hospital, the notification said, adding that the IO shall conduct spot enquiry by examining the eyewitnesses/ bystanders.

As per the notification, the investigating officer shall intimate the accident to the claims tribunal within 48 hours of the accident, by submitting the first accident report (FAR) in Form I.

If the particulars of the insurance policy are available, the intimation of the accident in Form I shall also be given to the Nodal Officer of the concerned insurance company of the offending vehicle, it said.

It added that a copy of Form I shall also be provided to the victim(s), the state legal services authority, insurer and shall also be uploaded on the website of state police, if available.

The notification said the IO shall furnish the description of the rights of victim(s) of road accidents to the victim(s), or their legal representatives, within 10 days of the accident.

The IO shall also file a copy of Form II along with the DAR, it added.

The investigating officer shall provide a blank copy of Form III to the driver of the vehicle(s) involved in the accident and the driver shall furnish the relevant information in Form III to the investigating officer, within thirty (30) days of the accident.

While in case of any minor child/children of the victim(s) of the accident, the notification said the IO shall provide blank Form-VIA to the victim(s), who shall fill up the relevant information/attach the relevant documents and submit the same to the investigating officer within 60 days of the accident.

Thereafter, the IO shall send the copy of the victim's Form-VI and VIA along with DAR to Child Welfare Committee, within 30 days of receiving the aforesaid Form-VI and VIA from the victim(s), it added.

According to the notification, the committee shall ascertain if the child is in need of care and protection as per the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.