Compensation for hit and run victims can be increased, Supreme Court gives instructions to Central Government

The Supreme Court has directed the Central Government to consider increasing the amount of compensation given to the families of those who lost their lives and those seriously injured in hit-and-run cases. The Supreme Court has given the Central Government eight weeks time to consider this decision and has directed it to give information on the next hearing on April 22.

Hit and run cases are increasing year by year
According to the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, if a vehicle hits a person and runs away and the victim dies in this accident, then he gets a maximum compensation of Rs 2 lakh. Whereas a seriously injured person gets financial assistance of Rs 50 thousand. The Supreme Court has also asked the police to inform the families of hit-and-run victims about the compensation scheme under the law. A bench of Justice AS Oka and Justice Pankaj Mittal said in its order that the data of hit and run cases is given every year by the Road Transport Ministry. This shows that hit and run cases are increasing year after year. Last year, the Road Transport Minister had also given this information in the Lok Sabha.

Very few people got the benefit of the law
According to statistics, there were 55,942 hit and run cases in the year 2016. It increased to 65,186 in 2017 and 69,621 in 2018. Whereas in 2019 also these cases remained 69,621. In the last five years, 660 people have died and 113 people have been injured due to hit and run, out of which a total compensation of Rs 1 crore 84 lakh has been given. The bench said that the number of cases registered and the number of people who have received compensation are very less. This shows that a very small number of people have benefited from the law. One reason for this could be that people are not aware of this law. The value of money diminishes over time. In such a situation, we direct the Central Government to increase the amount of compensation in hit and run cases. The government should take a decision in this matter in the next eight weeks.