Road accidents

Sir,
The tragic road accidents are in vogue now-a-days. These road accidents will turn out to be biggest killers of people in the State. The Reasi road accident which claimed more than 20 lives and many injured has shocked the people of the State.
Apart from checking/making the necessary amendments in the Road Safety System, there is another matter which is of great concern and requires to be looked into.
Accident cases require fastest care and rescue which could be provided by those who are close to the scene of the accident. Bystanders’ clear support is essential to enhance the chances of survival of victim in the immediate period of the injury i.e Golden period. The 50 percent of the victims die in the first 15 minutes due to serious cardiovascular or nervous system injuries and rest can be saved by providing basic life support during that Golden period.
The most common desisting factor restraining the public from coming forward to help victim is the apparent fear of being involved in police cases, interrogation, summoning in the court, harassment etc. The people have the notion that touching the victim could make them liable for police interrogation. Passer by choose to wait for the police to arrive whereas injured gradually bleeds to death. Peope are reluctant to come forward for help, they turn blind eye to help the victim. Sometimes those who help are rebuked due to the reluctance on the part of the others. In the case of convoy even when there are several vehicles in the convoy, people wait for ambulance to arrive and also for the concerned police help.
There is need to build confidence amongst the public to help road accident victims. There is need to evolve the system by promptly providing care system with certain ethical and legal principles. The person who helps the victim of road accident should be rewarded, appreciated and protection of law be provided to him.
It is my humble request to the law makers that there is dire need to enact a good law in the State regarding the protection to Good Samaritans so that general public feel empowered to act without fear of adverse consequences such as being involved in police cases, interrogation, summoning in the court while saving the life of the road accident victim.
Yours etc….
Aatish Malmotra
New Plots, Jammu

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