Yet again, high-ranking officials have expressed regret. And yet again there is every indication that like all earlier tragedies of such nature, the root issues will eventually find themselves swept under the carpet, unresolved.

The horrifying accident that occurred near Khairpur in Sindh on Tuesday morning involved a speeding bus carrying around 70 passengers.

It tried to overtake blind, resulting in a head-on collision with a truck.

Read: At least 58 killed in accident near Khairpur

Almost 60 men, women and children were killed and several others are now fighting for their lives.

Could this tragedy have been prevented? Yes, had the state made it its priority to spend funds on upgrading the existing network of highways to international standards, even as it built brand new motorways.

Yes, if the state could find the wherewithal to ensure that every person piloting a vehicle has a valid licence and the training that underpins it.

Yes, if the rules that exist piecemeal on paper about vehicle safety standards and the availability of emergency exits, etc, were stringently applied and unfit vehicles that could prove hazardous to the safety of their own occupants as well as other road users were taken off the roads.

In short, yes, if the state discarded its apathetic approach to road safety.

Unfortunately, during the recent couple of decades, as the traffic-load plying the country’s highways and roads has increased exponentially (in part due to the policies of successive governments), the state seems to have thrown up its hands in despair and decided to let anarchy rule.

But while the state must shoulder a significant share of the blame for allowing road accidents to continue unabated, citizens themselves must own up to some responsibility too.

How many can introspect and say with genuine honesty that they are well aware of the traffic rules, that they follow them all the time? How many are there even amongst educated sections of society who feel the rule of law applies to their own behaviour on the roads? Perhaps, then, the Motorway Police have a point in suggesting that school curricula should include a section on traffic rules and concepts of road safety, as they did in Islamabad on Monday.

As any visitor would testify, no matter how brief their stay, the picture that traffic all across the country presents today is indicative of the fact that few people, if any, are aware of even the most basic concepts of regulated road use.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2014