There is no statistical evidence to show that the color of a car might influence how fast it can go or how safe it might be. There is a correlation with lighting conditions though, and it’s significant. That’s because there is a direct link between lighting conditions and the color of a vehicle and the risk of being hit in a crash. The Monash University Accident Center in Australia, detailed this risk in an independent study. The results of the study showed a clear statistical connection between the color of a vehicle and its risk of being involved in a crash. The results of the study showed that various colors were connected to high risk. Those colors follow:
- Black: After sundown, black cars are difficult to see, even with their headlights on. They blend into the night colors, and during inclement weather after sundown, they become even more difficult to see.
- Blue: Most cars that are painted blue are a darker shade of the color. That doesn’t put them far behind black cars on the visibility scale.
- Grey: This color is more difficult for other drivers to discern on cloudy or rainy days and during the time of dusk. That’s when grey cars are more difficult to discern.
- Green: In the countryside, green cars might be less conspicuous because they blend in with the landscape.
- Red: In both the city and the country, red cars are more likely to be seen, especially during the daylight hours.
- Silver: This is one of the colors that is most likely to be seen except when it’s raining or when you’re surrounded by grey clouds.
The Safest Car Color Choices
White cars are far less likely to be involved in an accident, especially after sundown. They’re more visible, and opposed to black cars, they’re more conspicuous relative to the colors of their surroundings. Yellow cars are conspicuous too. That’s why school buses and taxi cabs are painted yellow.
Driver Behavior Can Influence Crash Risks Too
Although the color of the car that a person owns might increase or decrease the chances that he or she might be in an accident, any of the following factors can be the direct cause of an accident, no matter what color of a car that a person might be driving:
- Distraction from phone calls, texting, infotainment centers or even by passengers.
- Speeding or otherwise driving aggressively.
- Driving too fast for traffic or weather conditions.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of the two.
Although a car’s color might be a factor in an accident, a driver’s behavior behind is what is determinative. That person can be careless and negligent in any color of car. It doesn’t matter what the color of the car is that you’re behind the wheel of. Drive safely and defensively.
