New Hit-And-Run Law Aims To Save Accident Victims, But Drivers Protest

Truck drivers in various parts of our country are protesting against a new law about hit-and-run cases. This law is part of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which has replaced our old Indian Penal Code. 

The main reason for this protest is the harsh punishment in the new law. If a driver causes a serious road accident, doesn’t inform the police or officials, and runs away (hit-and-run), they can get up to 10 years in jail or have to pay a fine of Rs 7 lakh.

There have been several hit-and-runs as well as hit-and-drag cases happening across the country for several decades. Sometimes they are done accidentally, while sometimes intentionally.

This protest has led to big traffic jams on highways and there’s worry about a shortage of petrol, diesel, and other essentials because many truckers are on strike. In some places, things got violent, like in Maharashtra, where protesters threw stones and clashed with police.

Why Is Hit-And-Run Law Important?

It’s designed to make our roads safer. Every year, many people die or get hurt in road accidents. Often, drivers who cause these accidents run away, leaving the victims without help. 

This law aims to stop that. By making the punishment harsher, it hopes to make drivers more careful and responsible.

Under the old law, if someone accidentally killed a person in a road accident, the maximum jail term was 2 years. The new law increases this to up to 10 years, plus a big fine. The government is about reducing road accidents and saving lives.

But, truck drivers feel this law is too tough, especially on them. They say the fine is too high and worry about being attacked by people if they try to help accident victims. Their protest shows they want the government to think about their concerns too.

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What Should Be Done Now?

While this law aims to make roads safer and help accident victims, truck drivers are worried about its impact on them. They want a more balanced approach. 

The government needs to listen to their concerns and find a solution that works for everyone. But we can’t ignore lakhs of such cases where the driver hits someone and runs away. 

As a result, thousands of victims were injured seriously or died on the site. It’s also very common to intentionally hit-and-run cases done by mafias and criminals across the country.