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New Motor Vehicle Rules in India from 1st Oct'20
The Motor Vehicles Act came into effect in 1988. This Act mandated insurance policies for all motorised vehicles plying on Indian roads.
Additionally, vehicle owners needed to carry license, registration and vehicle insurance papers at all times during a drive. Failure to comply with these rules lead to hefty fines, and even the cancellation of one’s driving license.
As of 1st October-2020, Indians need to follow an altered set of rules, which changes the guidelines set forth in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989.
The recent change prioritises digital monitoring procedures to improve traffic law enforcement. With the help of IT and electronic monitoring, Indian roads are set to become safer.
Changes in Traffic Rules - effective from 1st Oct-2020
| Factors | New Rule | Old Rule |
| Physical documents | Individuals can now save these documents in the digital format on their phones. Therefore, carrying papers physically is no longer necessary. | Vehicle owners needed to carry insurance, pollution, registration and other documents along with them during a drive. |
| License revocation | Since drivers do not need to carry the physical copy any longer, traffic authorities can revoke the same digitally. The suspension of license is almost immediate in this case. | Traffic authorities used information on your physical driving license to initiate the revocation procedure. |
| Storage of revoked license | All records of disqualified licenses are maintained digitally. | Disqualified license records were maintained on paper. |
| Challans | With the enforcement of the new rule, e-challans would be issued through the online platform. | Previously, challans were issued physically. |
| Usage of mobile while driving | A mobile phone can be used only for route navigation while driving. | Mobile phone usage was strictly prohibited while driving. |
| Application support for documents | Individuals can upload all vehicular and driving documents on m-Parivahan and/or Digi-locker. | - |
Apart from the ease of monitoring and regulating traffic, the new rules also promote significant convenience on the part of the vehicle owners. Carrying important documents physically is difficult in many cases.
Furthermore, carrying these documents increased the chances of misplacing them. With digital storage facilities, drivers can now leave the original documents safely at home.
Another important change in the rules is the legalisation of using mobile phones for navigation while driving. Most drivers today rely on their phone’s map application for real-time GPS location tracking.
This is especially true when they drive to new locales, which they are unfamiliar with. Such GPS-enabled apps can help drivers find their way without endangering their lives or the lives of others on the road.
However, using your phone for any other purpose while driving remains a punishable offence. Another important factor to keep in mind is that although this digitisation process is well underway, drivers can use existing permits, licenses, fitness and registrations in paper form until December 31, 2020. Police officers and traffic authorities will treat such physical paperwork as valid until then.
Learn more about:
FAQs about Payment of Traffic Fines in Mumbai
When do the new traffic laws come into effect?
The new traffic rules are effective from October 1, 2020. Individuals can use digital versions of their driving license, vehicle registration certificate, pollution certificate and other documents from this date onward. However, the paper documents will also be accepted as valid until December 31, 2020.
Which apps can be used to save a digital copy of your driving documents?
At present m-Parivahan and Digi-locker are two of the mobile applications that can store digital copies of your driving license, registration and other related documents. You can download these apps from the Play Store or App Store. Log in using your registered phone number and start accessing all relevant documents from within.
What do the new traffic laws say about using mobile phones while driving?
According to the new laws coming into effect from October 1, drivers are free to use their mobile phones for navigational purposes. This means you are free to use GPS-enabled map applications on your smartphone while driving to find the way. However, using the device for any other purpose remains punishable by law while you are driving.
Can you drive without a valid car insurance policy with the enforcement of new rules?
The new traffic laws state that individuals can drive without carrying insurance documents. However, every vehicle must still possess valid insurance coverage at all times. Driving without such a policy will still result in hefty penalties of Rs.2000 (Rs.4000 for repeat offences). Thus, buying motor insurance is still mandatory for your bike, scooter and car.