Chandigarh, Sept. 7 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has halved the compensation payable to the family of a 30-year-old private firm employee who died in a road crash while driving on the wrong side on the road in 2023.

The court was hearing two appeals - one from the family of the deceased driver seeking increase in the compensation awarded by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), and the second by the insurance firm arguing that it was a case of contributory negligence and thus full compensation liability should not be placed on the driver of offending vehicle.

The accident had taken place in Pinjore on March 8, 2023, when the victim, Ashok Kumar, was going on his scooter with pillion rider Rinku. The scooter was on the ...