Context: Recently, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has notified the constitution of the National Road Safety Board.

National Road Safety Board

• The NRSB will be constituted of a panel of seven members and a chairman, with the members having experience in the fields related to road safety, traffic regulation, urban planning, civil engineering and police enforcement and investigation.
• Additionally, the board will also comprise of technical committees to look into a variety of aspects of road safety from civil engineering to vehicle construction and safety equipment.

Why need such board?

• Along with the rapid expansion and up-gradation on the road network and the enforcement of higher safety standards for vehicles, the Government is now actively looking into the safety of roads too.

Terms of reference

• The Head Office of the Board shall be in the National Capital Region and the Board may establish offices at other places in India.
• The Board shall be responsible for promoting road safety, innovation and adoption of new technology and for regulating traffic and motor vehicles.

For this purposes, inter alia, the Board shall formulate

• specific standards for road safety, traffic management and road construction for hilly regions
• guidelines for capacity building and development of skills for traffic police, hospital authorities, highway authorities, educational and research organizations and other organizations
• guidelines for establishing and operating trauma facilities and para-medical facilities, for consideration by the Central Government
• provide technical advice and assistance to the Central Government, State Governments and local authorities on road safety and traffic management

Key provision: Protection of Samaritans

• The board aims to promote Good Samaritans and good practices in road safety and traffic management.
• Good Samaritans who rescue victims of serious road accidents and rush them to a hospital within the golden hour will now be rewarded with Rs 5,000.
• They will also be eligible for a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh which will be given to 10 such Samaritans in a year.
• It has been felt that there is a need to motivate the general public through cash awards and certificates to help the road accident victims in emergency situation and to boost their morale.
• The categories of accidents that will make one eligible for the award will include those that result in a major surgery or minimum three days of hospitalisation or brain and spinal cord injuries.