Lesson 6 of 6
If You Witness a Crash
4 min read · India-specific
The Good Samaritan Law (Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019) protects anyone who helps a road-accident victim. You cannot be forced to reveal your identity or be harassed by police or hospitals for helping.
The golden hour
50% of road-crash deaths happen because help arrives too late. The first 60 minutes after a serious injury — the golden hour — decide survival. Calling for help immediately matters more than being a first-aid expert.
What to do at the scene
1) Ensure your own safety — pull over, turn on hazard lights. 2) Call 112 (unified emergency) or 108 (ambulance). 3) Do NOT move an injured person unless there is fire risk — spinal injuries can worsen. 4) Apply pressure to bleeding wounds with cloth.
Your legal protection
Under the Good Samaritan guidelines, hospitals must provide immediate treatment without waiting for police formalities. You may leave after giving basic information; you cannot be detained or made to pay for treatment.
Key rules
- Call 112 (emergency) or 108 (ambulance) first
- Do not move a seriously injured person unless there is fire
- Apply firm pressure to stop bleeding
- The Good Samaritan Law protects you — you cannot be harassed