As anyone who has visited Russia knows, their drivers are pretty crazy. It’s common here to undercut/overcut other traffic and drive at ridiculous speeds in poor conditions. Only yesterday we got news that 45 cars had a crash on the Moscow road but accidents are very common. The main reason you know this is that the Russians typically mark the places of fatal accidents with a cross or memorial, placing fresh flowers there every year. When you’re driving to Moscow from here you see one of these reminders every few meters.

The part I never understand though, is why Russians don’t wear seatbelts. It’s almost unheard of here and drivers actually look hurt if you make a move to buckle up. As Anna has explained to me, it’s seen as an insult to their driving skills.

Well tough, I’m responsible for my own life so I always put one on. You can’t argue with the facts, 63% of people who die in car accidents aren’t wearing one. It’s not 100% protection but it sure as hell reduces the risk. I also make a point of everyone doing it in our car, much to their amusement. So I found this video on Youtube and showed it to everyone in the office. They were pretty shocked. Especially two of the girls here who regularly carry their babies on their laps in the front seat.