Accident insurance: Punjab must get its act together

POLICE procedural delays holding up insurance claims of road accident victims in Punjab smack of abdication of duty and unprofessionalism. More than that, it shows a lack of empathy and sensitivity in those entrusted with ensuring the safety of citizens. For fatal accidents that took place between 2022 and 2024, claims exceeding Rs 700 crore are pending. Insurance money of Rs 35 crore is due in cases involving grievous injuries. Lapses in handling, investigating and submitting details have come to the fore. Given the emotional and financial stress that families of victims have to endure, the least that is expected is administrative support. The normalisation of a work culture that cares little for basic courtesies is despicable. There is an urgent need for the police department to sort out the glitches, clear the backlog of claims and ensure that the standard operating procedures are not violated.

The data on road accident-related FIRs in the state for 2024 puts the death toll at 3,148. The reaction to such shocking figures ought to be a societal pledge to make roads safer, a push by the government to strictly enforce traffic rules, and fixing accountability. Instead, there’s a sense of bravado attached to disregarding traffic norms in Punjab. The lax enforcement encourages a free-for-all disposition, where those following the rules are often subjected to abuse and road rage. It’s a matter of shame that even the large diasporic footprint has failed to effect an attitudinal change.

Initiatives such as setting up of the Sadak Suraksha Force and installation of CCTV cameras to check traffic violations have made a difference, but a lot more is required. Road safety has to be a 24×7 commitment of every stakeholder, the road user most of all.

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