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.