The stretch between Chevella and Manneguda on NH-163 has long been flagged by locals, commuters and road safety analysts as a death corridor: narrow lanes, poor lighting, unscientific curves and movement of heavy vehicles. One moment of reckless driving is all it takes for an ordinary commute to turn catastrophic. The November 3 crash between a State-run bus and a tipper lorry that claimed 19 lives is not an isolated tragedy but part of a chilling pattern. Lavpreet Kaur and Naveen Kumar find that alleged infrastructure negligence and careless driving are not separate issues but two sides of the same threat