Dhading, Aug. 25 -- Under existing laws, all passenger vehicles that travel for over 250 kilometres are required to have two drivers. But in most cases, vehicles plying long distances are being driven by a single driver, especially during the night, which is one of the major causes of increasing road accidents, traffic police, bus entrepreneurs and drivers say.

Of late, bus conductors have a driving licence even though they are not adept at driving, bus entrepreneurs admit. Procedures to acquire a licence are slack, ridden with irregularities.

On October 28, 2017, a bus carrying passengers returning after celebrating Chhath festival in Saptari met with an accident in Ghatbesi at 5 in the morning. Thirty-four passengers were killed. Sant...