[dailydriver]

With the Honorable President of India giving his assent to the Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation during Emergency Situations) Bill, 2016, Karnataka has become the first state to enact a law aimed at protecting Good Samaritans helping victims of road accidents.

The legislation aims to give protection to good samaritans and ensure immediate medical assistance for road accident victims within the 'golden hour' and encourage people to offer first aid to victims without fear of harassment in the hands of police and investigations.

Under the new law, the Karnataka government will provide financial help to good samaritans who help victims in a timely manner, they will be exempted from repeated attendance in courts and police stations, in case attendance is mandatory, expenses of such "running around to courts and police stations" will be taken care through the proposed 'Good Samaritan Fund'.

After admitting the accident victim to the hospital, the good samaritan can leave immediately, all government as well as private hospitals are bound to give first aid to the accident victims, according to the new legislation.

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Good Samaritan

1. someone who tries to help people in trouble or need
2. a compassionate person who helps others unselfishly
3. a person who helps others without any thoughts of a reward or compensation

Golden Hour

the hour immediately following traumatic injury in which medical treatment to prevent irreversible internal damage and optimize the chance of survival is most effective

Public apathy towards victim of road accidents is continuing unabated. This law hopes to reassure the few who do extend their help and also to encourage the vast majority who don't - out of fear and ignorance. Will the law remain a paper tiger or will it actually help reduce fatalities on the road?

[honeybee]

The only new thing seems to be the Good Samaritan fund. Everything else is from the centre's rulebook.

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by honeybee

The only new thing seems to be the Good Samaritan fund. Everything else is from the centre's rulebook.

I think a law through a bill is different from rule book. Its codifying the common sense which provides definite assurance.

[Aditya]

An awesome step indeed. It is very important that every state enacts such a law.

Many accident victims are not helped just because samaritans are afraid of harassment by the police and the inconvenience caused by repeated trips to the police station and court. Hopefully, this law will change that.

I hope the 'Good Samaritan fund' provides a substantial and realistic amount as compensation. I remember my dad telling me that he had to attend a court hearing here in Mumbai and the travel fund provided was something laughable.

[vijit.gangwar]

No amount of laws / rules can entice people to become good Samaritans. Attitude of our police force has to change from being an arm of a foreign occupying force (British) to one who is there to help and assist.
Example - In India people are afraid on the arrival of the police to any incident as the general perception is that now we have to part with our hard earned money (we will be looted) where as in most 1st world countries you start feeling safe with the arrival of the police.
Am I making any sense.

[aniyo]

Its sad that our culture has become so weak that we have to enact a law for everything.
Everyday I am just astounded at the level of indifference we have in our society.

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by aniyo

Its sad that our culture has become so weak that we have to enact a law for everything.
Everyday I am just astounded at the level of indifference we have in our society.

It definitely has got nothing to with culture.

For Example: In case of a train accident, the people's response to help is spontaneous and in huge numbers and the injured are quickly taken to hospital.
Everybody tries to help because people have no fear of prosecution in this case. In a train accident nobody will drag them to police station and courts thereafter.

Coming to the case of road accidents, before this law, there was a very high risk to those offering help. So people hesitate to help in order to protect themselves from police harassment, harassment from the hospital for clearing bills and from the legal proceedings subsequently.

Having such an explicit law is definitely needed in order for people to feel reassured from being harassed in case they offer help.

[dailydriver]

Whenever laws fail in their duties, humanity takes over; and when humanity sidesteps issues, laws are brought in.

Originally Posted by honeybee

The only new thing seems to be the Good Samaritan fund. Everything else is from the centre's rulebook.

Law and order is a state subject and therefore all states must enact their own laws in this regard. In the interest of legal uniformity in a federal structure, the statutes cannot be not similar, if not the same!

Originally Posted by Aditya

I hope the 'Good Samaritan fund' provides a substantial and realistic amount as compensation

Agree.

Originally Posted by for_cars1

clearing bills

Speaking of bills (a bit off topic here), we have a scheme called Harish Santwana Yojane, which enjoins upon the Government to pay amounts up to ₹25,000 for treatment of accident victims. This is aimed at preventing private hospitals from denying admission to the injured for fear of unpaid bills.



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[locusjag]

I saw the same good Samaritan notification at 2 Chennai RTOs, as announced by the TN state govt. Looks like many states have begun implementing the Centre's suggested Good Samaritan law guidelines.

[gururajrv]

Well this news is very much a step towards building a supportive neighborhood. I believe this news will require a lot of channelling and advertising on a big scale to ensure each and every human being including all the govt officials are aware of this law or rule applied in Karnataka. Reason being, most of the times, government or hospital authorities will not be updated or informed of these vital changes and will still continue to question those who help the ones in need. Therefore, I hope this is effectively and efficiently sent through right channels to make this more effective