The Centre has introduced draft guidelines to improve support for road accident victims who suffer from disabilities. These guidelines aim to make emergency services, transport, and rehabilitation more inclusive and accessible.

The draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), prepared by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), suggests several key measures. It calls for ambulances to be disability-friendly, with ramps and adjustable stretchers. Injured people must be given priority evacuation, and first responders such as police, paramedics, and volunteers will receive special training to handle accident victims with spinal or limb injuries. They will be taught how to use immobilisation techniques to prevent further harm.

The SOP also recommends linking accident reporting databases with the Unique Disability ID (UDID) system. This will allow real-time alerts and help victims access compensation more quickly. The draft guidelines were issued last month for public feedback and are in line with a 2014 Supreme Court order asking the government to prepare clear SOPs on road safety and post-accident care.

For rehabilitation, the SOP outlines a wide range of services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, vocational training, and psychological counselling. Victims will also receive assistive devices such as prosthetics, wheelchairs, and hearing aids through government schemes like the Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADIP) programme.

On the infrastructure front, all new and upgraded transport systems must follow the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016. This means roads and vehicles must include ramps, tactile paving, accessible pedestrian crossings, low-floor buses, audible signals, and priority seating. States and Union Territories will also be required to conduct regular accessibility audits.

The draft suggests creating “disability-inclusive zones” in places with heavy footfall of persons with disabilities, such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres, and special schools. Public transport, including app-based taxis, must also adapt to accessibility standards.

Financially, the SOP directs District Road Safety Committees to coordinate with State Legal Services Authorities to ensure that accident victims receive compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act. It also encourages the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to design insurance packages covering rehabilitation and assistive devices. To prevent fraud, disability certificates will be verified against the UDID database.

Also, the SOP calls for annual training for first responders and medical staff, better data integration through platforms like the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network (CCTNS), and the appointment of liaison officers in state transport departments to oversee accessibility work.

These draft guidelines provide a clear framework for immediate medical care, rehabilitation, and long-term support to help accident victims with disabilities reintegrate into society.