Govt issues draft SOP for road accident victims with disabilities

The Centre has proposed draft guidelines mandating disability-friendly ambulances, priority evacuation of injured persons, trained first responders, accessible public transport, and comprehensive rehabilitation plans for victims of road accidents who sustain disabilities.

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), prepared by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), also integrates accident reporting databases with the Unique Disability ID (UDID) system to ensure real-time alerts and streamlined compensation claims. These draft guidelines for public consultation were issued last month.

The draft has been formulated in compliance with the Supreme Court's 2014 directive entrusting the government to frame SOPs for road safety and post-trauma care.

It lays down a framework for identification, immediate medical response, rehabilitation, and long-term social integration of persons with disabilities (PwDs) arising from road accidents.

According to the SOP, all new and retrofitted road and transport infrastructure must comply with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016, and related Indian Roads Congress (IRC) codes.

This includes tactile paving, ramps, accessible crossings, audible signals, low-floor buses and priority seating. States and Union Territories will be required to conduct regular accessibility audits.

The guidelines further call for "disability-inclusive zones" in areas with high PwD footfall such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres, and special schools, and mandate the adaptation of public transport and app-based cabs to meet accessibility standards.

For emergency response, the SOP prescribes training of police, paramedics, and good samaritans to identify signs of existing or acquired disabilities and handle victims with spinal or limb injuries using immobilisation techniques.

Ambulances will be required to have ramps and adjustable stretchers, while trauma centres will be linked to disability institutes like National Institutes (NIs) and Composite Regional Centres (CRCs) for specialised care.

The post-trauma care plan includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, vocational training, and psychological counselling.

Victims will be provided with assistive devices such as prosthetics, wheelchairs, and hearing aids through the Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADIP) scheme and relevant state programmes.

On financial support, the draft directs District Road Safety Committees to coordinate with State Legal Services Authorities to secure compensation for accident victims under the Motor Vehicles Act. It also requires States to work with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to formulate insurance packages that cover rehabilitation and assistive technologies.

To prevent misuse, the SOP mandates verification of disability certificates against the UDID database before processing compensation claims. In suspicious cases, victims may be re-examined by empanelled hospitals.

The draft also calls for annual training of first responders and medical staff, integration of accident data across platforms like Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), and the appointment of PwD liaison officers in state transport departments to monitor accessibility initiatives.