There is only one caveat: the vehicle must be insured.
Formulating a new comprehensive insurance policy for vehicles, Justice J R Midha asked the insurance companies to strictly follow the guidelines to cover pillion riders and passengers of cars and other vehicles.
The court gave the ruling after hearing an appeal by Yash Pal Luthra seeking higher compensation on account of his 24-year-old son's death in the capital in 2006 while riding the pillion of a motor vehicle.
The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) had earlier agreed with the insurance company's contention that it was not liable for the pillion rider. The tribunal had asked the motorcycle owner to pay over Rs 453,000 to the Luthra family.
Published 13 December 2009, 19:13 IST