There were 21,000 cars imported to Iceland last year, 70 percent of which were either gray or white, RÚV reports. Many were black, but brightly colored cars are no longer common.

“It’s so convenient to sell gray cars to everyone,” commented car salesman Guðfinnur Halldórsson, “and car salesmen don’t have more ambition than that.” Decades ago, brightly colored cars were popular, but during the past twenty years, the fleet has been graying.

Guðfinnur explained that the gray color is convenient because it shows little dirt. But there’s a downside as well. Research shows that the chances of having an accident are higher when driving a gray car than one in a bright color. “You ought to drive a car with a good color,” Guðni remarked; “it’s a safety standpoint.”