Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 with Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019

Objective of Amendment:-

This amendment is made to overcome

the issues of Road safety, citizen

facilitation, improving public

transport and provide corruption

free transport system.

Major amendments in the Act

(a) grant of online learning licence;

(b) Simplified provisions of insurance

to provide expeditious help to

accident victims and their families;

(c) Time limit for renewal of driving

licence license increased from one

month before or one year after the

expiry date;

(d) Increased the period for renewal

of transport licence from three years

to five years;

(e) Enable the licensing authority to

grant licence even to the differently

abled persons;

(f) Enable the States to promote

public transport, rural transport and

last mile connectivity by relaxing any

of the provisions of the Act

pertaining to permits;

(g) Increased the fines and

penalties for violation of provisions

of the Act; etc.

Important Definitions Under The Act

«“adapted vehicle” means a motor

vehicle either specially designed

and constructed for the use of a

person suffering from any physical

defect or disability, and used only by

or for such person, such alterations

have been made under section 52(2).

[Section 1(1) ] ( added by 2019 Amendment)

«“stage carriage” means a motor

vehicle constructed or adapted to

carry more than six passengers it

does not include driver for hire or

reward at separate fares paid by or

for individual passengers, either for

the whole journey or for stages of the

journey. [Section 2(40)]

«“driver” includes the person who

acts as a steersman of the drawn

vehicle [ Section 2(9) ]

« “conductor” means a person

engaged in collecting fares from

passengers, regulating their

entrance into, or exit from, the stage

carriage and performing such other

functions as may be prescribed. [

Section 2(5) ]

«“conductor’s licence” means the

licence issued by a competent

authority under Chapter III

authorising the person specified

therein to act as a conductor. [

Section 2(6) ]

« “golden hour” means the time

period lasting one hour following a

traumatic injury during

which there is highest likelihood of

preventing death by providing

prompt medical care. [ Section

2(12A)] ( added by 2019 Amendment)

« “e-cart or e-rickshaw” means a

special purpose battery powered

vehicle of power not exceeding

4000 watts, having three wheels for

carrying goods or passengers for hire

or reward. [ Section 2A(2)]