In New Delhi, a hardworking gardener named Rajesh, who supported his family single-handedly, tragically lost his life in a car accident while cycling to work in Bhogal last Saturday. His death not only shattered his own life but also disrupted the hopes and dreams of his wife and two children. Rajesh's passing is one in a series of incidents where drivers of unidentified vehicles are involved. These cases often result in the driver receiving quick bail if caught later, leading to prolonged legal processes. Shockingly, over 40% of accidents in the city are classified as hit-and-run incidents involving unknown vehicles, a behavior attributed to drivers' confidence in navigating legal challenges with the help of lawyers post-incident. Some drivers flee the scene due to fear of public retaliation.
According to a senior police officer, many who flee accident scenes do so out of fear of physical harm, financial exploitation, or lengthy legal battles. To address this deep-seated fear, measures beyond the protection provided by the Good Samaritan law are necessary. Collaborative efforts between traffic and local police have helped reduce hit-and-run incidents. Last January saw 51 casualties attributed to unknown vehicles, a figure reduced to 47 this year thanks to increased police presence in identified high-risk areas.
Statistics show that as of mid-May this year, 518 individuals lost their lives in 511 fatal accidents, with expectations exceeding 700 by mid-August. Despite these alarming numbers, authorities claim that the figures are lower than the previous year, where 552 fatalities were recorded in 544 accidents.During the period from January to May 2023, significant road segments in the national capital such as Ring Road, National Highway (NH) 24, NH 8, Rohtak Road, GTK Road, and Mathura Road have witnessed a high number of fatal accidents. Previously, hit-and-run incidents were prosecuted under IPC Section 304A, which carried a maximum sentence of two years. A recent change in the law, Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita Section 106(2), has increased the maximum imprisonment to 10 years for such cases. However, the lack of awareness about this change may be contributing to a lack of deterrence.
