Taking note of the high number of road accidents causing serious injuries and deaths, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed all states and Union Territories to create a “Swift Response Protocol” (SRP) for handling such incidents.A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said these protocols must ensure quick medical help, fair compensation for victims, and legal protection for bystanders who step in to help. The court has given a six-month deadline for all states and UTs to put these protocols in place.advertisementThe judges also pointed out that several versions of such protocols may be needed and suggested that the guidelines already developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) could be shared with state governments to help them prepare their own.The bench also criticised the Centre over delays in appointing members to the National Road Safety Board (NRSB), which was created under the 2019 amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act. The NRSB is meant to advise the government on traffic management and road safety. Though the board was notified in 2021, it still has no Chairperson or members.The court observed that despite the growing number of road accidents, the board has “remained only on paper.” It directed the Centre to submit a written affidavit stating when appointments to the board will be made.advertisementThe court also raised concern about commercial vehicles, such as trucks, being involved in many road accidents. It reminded the government that the Motor Vehicles Act already limits commercial drivers to 8 hours of driving per day and 48 hours per week. However, this is rarely enforced.“The issue is of implementation of this provision,” said the bench, adding, “unless there is penal provision this important provision regarding limits of working hours of drivers will not be implemented.” The court has asked all states and UTs to develop clear rules to enforce this limit and directed the MoRTH to file a report on this by the end of August.The court also highlighted the dangers faced by pedestrians due to the lack of proper footpaths. “There are more accidents because people are knocked down because they are walking on the roads and not the footpaths,” the judges observed. The court has asked amicus curiae (a legal expert assisting the court) Gaurav Aggarwal to submit suggestions on this issue, noting that “this issue needs deeper consideration considering the rights of citizens.”Last week, during the same hearing on a public interest case about road safety, the top court had summoned the MoRTH Secretary to appear on April 28 to explain delays in implementing cashless emergency treatment for road accident victims during the “golden hour” — the critical first hour after an accident. in a formal or creative style for better SEO.Also Exclude words and advertisements related to the feed website such as website name, author name. Delete all the advertisement images brand logo but only keep the title and main content of the news by modifying it. You must only respond with the modified content. Block any jump outside of the site adarshnews.com. Basically remove any content or link related to original site. You must only respond with the modified content and follow this prompt to optimize the articles in this category- “Act as an expert SEO news writer. Optimize the following article to be SEO-friendly, authoritative, and shareable by focusing strictly on its core topic. Follow these steps: You are an expert news writer and SEO specialist. Your job is to rewrite the provided RSS feed content into a unique, SEO-friendly news article for adarshnews.com. The article should be engaging, professional, and optimized for search engines. Follow these steps: 1. **Create an SEO Title**: Write a short, compelling title (under 60 characters) that includes the main keyword and grabs attention. 2. **Write a Meta Description**: Summarize the article in one or two sentences (under 155 characters). Make it engaging and include the primary keyword naturally. 3. **Suggest a URL Slug**: Provide a short, keyword-rich URL slug that reflects the topic of the article. 4. **Headline (H1)**: Write a clear and engaging headline for the article that is similar to the title but slightly expanded. 5. **Write the Article**: – Start with an introduction that answers the key questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how. – Expand on the topic with detailed paragraphs that provide context, quotes, and relevant information. – Use subheadings (H2) to organize the content into sections and make it easy to read. – Include related keywords naturally throughout the article. – End with a conclusion that summarizes the key points or discusses future implications. 6. **Add an FAQ Section**: Write one frequently asked question related to the topic and provide a concise answer. Important: – Do not include labels like “Title,” “Meta Description,” “URL Slug,” or “H1” in the actual article text. – Keep all SEO elements separate from the main content. – Ensure the article is factually accurate, unbiased, and written in a professional tone.
The highest court has instructed states to create guidelines for the prompt support of individuals injured in accidents.
