An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to motor vehicles. It extends to the whole of India. There is an injury every second minute and fatality on road every nine minutes in India. I.e. 156 people die every day. Injury is seventh leading causes of death. In the age group of 5-44 years it is third leading cause. Road traffic injuries are the most common. On other side, the most important cause of air and sound pollution in cities is due to vehicles. Cases of theft of vehicles particularly car and scooters are also common. There are many reasons for vehicular pollution and injuries onroad but vehicular related causes are the most important.

This Act regulate all aspects of motor vehicles. Section 2 defines many terms related to types of vehicles, manufacturing, ownership, registration, dealership, transport related, driver licensing both learning and permanent, etc. No person under the age of 18 years shall drive and no person shall drive a motor vehicle in any public place unless he holds an effective driving license issued by authorizing person (Sec 3, 4). School buses and other vehicles should bear the clear instructions about what it carry, and precautions to be taken. The penalties are given for every violation of restrictions or activities prohibited in the Act such as overspeeding, bad maintenance, without light in night, driving under influence of alcohol, heavy loading, wrong timing, wrong parking, mental and physical unfit to drive etc.

The Motor Vehicles Act 1988. Gazette of India (59 of 1988).