Supreme Court Decision: No damages for collisions due to a driver's own carelessness

The Supreme Court made it clear that drivers who are at fault for an accident cannot use their insurance claim to benefit their legal heirs.
A bench made up of Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan rendered the ruling, rejecting a petition for ₹80 lakh in damages. The petition was submitted by N.S. Ravisha's wife, son, and parents. He lost control of his car while driving at a high pace and perished in a traffic accident.

A Karnataka High Court decision dated November 23, 2023, which had previously dismissed the compensation argument, was not overturned by the Supreme Court. "We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment passed by the high court," the top court stated, upholding the reasoning of the high court. The Special Leave Petition is therefore denied.
On June 18, 2014, Ravisha was traveling from Mallasandra village to Arasikere town when the horrible event happened. His sister, her kids, and his father were with him. According to investigations, Ravisha was driving recklessly, disregarded traffic laws, and eventually lost control of the car, which resulted to its overturn. In the collision, he suffered fatal injuries.

This decision establishes a norm for upcoming auto accident cases, reiterating that insurance benefits are not assured in cases when the insured party bears responsibility for the collision. It emphasizes the necessity of following traffic safety regulations and acts as a reminder of the legal repercussions of careless driving.