Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Salient features, (Chapter — VIII), Nature and Scope, persons

A speeding truck hits a rickshaw on the Palm Beach Road. The rickshaw driver is badly hurt, the truck owner says he has no money, and the driver has run away. Is the victim simply out of luck? Indian law says no, because every motor vehicle used in a public place must carry insurance for exactly this situation, and a special tribunal exists to hear the claim. Chapter XI and Chapter XII of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 set that system up.

In two minutes

No one may use a motor vehicle in a public place without a third-party insurance policy (s.146); the insurer must satisfy awards in favour of the victim even if it could avoid the policy, subject to narrow defences (s.150); and claims go to a Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (ss.165-176).

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