Roads in Kashmir continue to snuff out lives of innocents for no fault of theirs. The latest tragedy struck in Doda where five passengers were killed when a car plunged into a deep gorge. Although rescue efforts were immediately started by the civil and police administration with the help of local volunteers, five people had already passed away by the time the rescuers could reach them. Miraculously, a minor child survived the tragedy. This is not the first accident of its kind in Jammu and Kashmir and it certainly won’t be the last. Every other day, we get to hear reports of people getting killed in road accidents which are caused by a number of factors. Most of these accidents take place in winter months. First and foremost factor for these surging road tragedies is the condition of the roads in J&K. Come winter and the roads turned into a surface of potholes on which driving is not just painful but can also prove lethal at times. Millions of rupees go annually into constructing and repairing roads. However, all these monies are thrown into gutter with first snow and freezing cold cracks the metalled surface and flawed design ensures that the water from snow accumulates on the roads. That the contractors often resort to the use of substandard material for laying roads only adds to the problem. Another factor is the lack of strict implementation of rules and laws for which the traffic department has to share equal blame. Most of the passenger vehicles are driven by under-qualified drivers who are often found to be driving without proper registration papers. And when such vehicle hit the roads, these drivers are often in a rush to complete their journey as soon as possible in order to make fast bucks. But by doing so, they imperil not just their lives but the lives of the their passengers as well. It is not clear yet what caused the latest tragedy in Doda but more often than not, it has been found that rash driving is the cause of such accidents. In many cases, the drivers of these vehicles are found to be on the wheels without mandatory licenses. The government must take immediate measures to prevent these senseless and preventable tragedies. Roads kill more people in Kashmir than the turmoil itself. It is time the government allocates equal attention as well as financial resources to make our journeys safer.