Even when death is inevitable, no one should be made to leave this world in an inevitably painful manner. A passenger bus carrying 33 passengers burst into flames on Sunday after a horrific collision with a diesel-laden pick-up near Pindi Bhattian. At least 18 people died on the spot while another 12 sustained serious injuries. Although a strongly-worded statement from Punjab Minister for Transport assured that those responsible would be taken to task, the effectiveness of such lofty pledges hangs in the air. Road accidents are fast becoming a routine matter in Pakistan. Between dipilidated roads, little to no attention given to the fitness of public vehicles by company owners and a general sense of entitlement in violation of road safety rules and regulations, there is a long list of red flags that continue to flutter in the wind. According to statistics compiled by the World Health Organisation, at least 1.93 per cent of the total deaths in the country happen as a consequence of a fatal traffic accident. Since the report was published a good three years back, ramshackle roads and reckless driving are bound to land a bigger share of the pie. Buses overspeeding, boats brimmed beyond their capacities capsizing and trains ramming into each other regularly make their way to the television screens. And in the desperation to catch up with the fast-paced life, we very conveniently ignore wailing children and burnt-to-ashes men and women in our hurry to skip the red light or take a shortcut. One cannot stress enough just how important it is to abide by road regulations, drive safely and always be aware while on the roads. However, no plan to deter motorcyclists from breaking rules on the road has, as of yet, shown any remarkable progress on the ground. Amid tragic videos of people shoving their privilege down the throats of officers keeping a look out on the roads, reducing the dangers is becoming an incredibly difficult task. *