These two accidents happened a day apart and along the same new stretch of road from Maitighar to Koteswor. The avenues are wide, the asphalt is smooth, and the urge to speed rampant. Motorbikes, cars, buses, and trucks—all are equal offenders, quick to seize the opportunity to drive fast and drive recklessly. There are few road dividers, one single functioning traffic light at Koteswor, barely visible zebra crossings, and no speed limits. People like Shanta and Nisha are victims. Scooters and motorbikes are especially dangerous, as unlike in cars, there is nothing to bear the brunt of an impact. A high-speed collision almost always means serious injury and all too often, death. It is also significant that these accidents involved a bus and a truck, vehicles that are notorious for driving recklessly, speeding, and sometimes even under the influence. On October 13, a speeding bus piloted by a drunk driver collided with two motorbikes at Babarmahal; three people died.

These needless deaths can be chalked up to reckless driving. The Koteswor-Bhaktapur section of the Araniko Highway, when newly built, also saw scores of accidents due to excessive speeding. As such, there are specifics the traffic police need to focus on. Reckless drivers, whether private cars and motorbikes or union-affiliated microbuses, must be stopped, ticketed and driving licences confiscated. Hefty fines must be levied for speeding, flouting lane discipline, haphazard overtaking, turning without a signal, and illegal u-turns, among others. Speed limits need to be decided on, signs put up, and then strictly enforced. Non-functioning traffic lights must be replaced and pedestrians allowed right of way, as this is a city road, not a highway. Public awareness campaigns can only go so far, rules must be enforced stringently if sections of the populace are bent on flouting them. If drunk driving can be checked so furiously, so can reckless driving.