In Armenian, the word "jan" is uniquely flexible. With a change in emphasis or tone, our "jan" can become a prelude to great love, a looming request, a stern reprimand, or even ominous news. I received such a chilling "jan" on a rainy autumn day during lunch with my colleagues when an old classmate working at an insurance company called me.

"Anj jaaaan, how are you?" – the elongation of "jan" hinted at anything but good news.

"What happened?" I immediately asked. What had happened was that a family member's car had been in an accident, and the driver had been taken to the hospital.

It seems that reading about accidents has become commonplace, and when something becomes ordinary, we tend to pay less attention to it, even though every accident alters several lives irrevocably. In 2023, there were 4,613 road accidents recorded in Armenia, resulting in 6,537 injuries and 378 fatalities.

Why is that so?

“My Car, My Rules”

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but when driving, the driver inadvertently assumes the role of leader and rule-setter; passengers, consciously or not, accept that leadership.

"Why are you putting on that seatbelt? It's uncomfortable," "Relax, I’m driving safely," "Hey, don’t you trust me?" If you haven’t heard at least one of these phrases from drivers in your life, consider yourself lucky. In reality, you need to be quite self-assured in your beliefs not to succumb to the astonished glances of the driver or other passengers when you buckle up in the back seat. However, since we are largely a collective-minded society, we tend to go with the flow.

“Establishing My Identity the Best I Can”

The car has long ceased to be merely a means of transportation. Car manufacturers often package their products as symbols of confidence, stability, brutality, and luxury, which isn’t necessarily condemnable—as long as the indicators of brutality and confidence in society are not distorted. Unfortunately, a significant portion of our society still grapples with a destructive culture that equates being established with operating outside the law. Surprisingly, even truly established individuals struggle to overcome the pressure imposed by popular culture and society.

“In My Car, Like in a Fortress”

It’s interesting to observe how the car disables people's faces, creating a feeling of being hidden away in their fortress, which can foster a sense of impunity. This can be compared to behavior on social media; when people are not face-to-face and cannot see each other, their behavior can become more aggressive. When pedestrians encounter each other while walking, it’s unlikely that one will hurl insults at the other. More likely, they will apologize, yield, and move on. But what happens when the same individuals are in their cars and start to obstruct one another? Again, if you haven’t faced a barrage of insults between drivers, consider yourself fortunate.

“I Just Don’t Have the Habit or It’s Inconvenient”

In many cases, the explanation is simpler: there’s just no established habit of buckling up. Just as we automatically reach for the sink when we enter the house, buckling up should become a habit when getting into a car. Believe me, after a week of buckling up every day, you will start to feel unsafe without it. As for comfort, yes, it can sometimes be a hassle, and it might complicate life for those concerned about aesthetics, as the seatbelt may require additional ironing depending on the style of clothing. However, considering that buckling up reduces the likelihood of dying in a traffic accident by about 50% (according to WHO), I think it’s an acceptable sacrifice.

“Bad Things Only Happen to Others”

You might not believe it, but even the most pessimistic people are actually optimists for the simple reason that it’s a survival strategy. Imagine if we spent our whole day thinking about all the possible dangers in the world; we would probably go mad. Like many cognitive biases, the optimism bias protects the human organism from various psychological stresses, but at some point, it can backfire. We think that bad things only happen to others and that we are insulated from them. As the saying goes, "trouble comes only once," but that one time can be fatal.

After my classmate’s call, I don’t even remember how quickly I rushed out of the café while simultaneously calling a relative. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries since my relative was buckled up.

P.S. Road safety is a complex field; beyond human behavior, infrastructure, law enforcement, and various other factors play crucial roles that have not been discussed in this column.

Anzhela Kzhdryan is a lecturer at Yerevan State University, strategic communication expert.

These views are her own.