Change is Slow; Norms are Relentless

In 1955, despite nearly 70% reduction in fatalities due to seat belts, only 2% of Ford customers chose this safety upgrade. This highlights the powerful grip of social norms on human behavior, which can delay the adoption of beneficial changes, even when the advantages are clear. Seatbelt usage remained under 15% in the early 1980s, only reaching over 80% by the early 2000s, illustrating the agonizingly slow pace at which society embraces improvements, often due to an inherent resistance to change and the discomfort with acknowledging past mistakes.