Few if any car buyers take safety into consideration when choosing which color they want on their new car. But maybe they should because it turns out some colors have a lower safety rating and thus have a direct effect on your chances of being involved in a traffic accident; and this is backed by actual studies on the matter, not opinions.
Reader’s Digest says silver is probably the most popular finish around the world, followed by white and blue, but only one of these three is likely to improve a car’s chances of not being involved in an accident. Black is quite common too and its safety rating is not the greatest, although actual colors, like the ever-popular blue or red, aren’t as safe as you might think they are either. But how exactly does the color finish of a car affect its safety?
Believe it or not, there were several studies cited by various outlets that say black cars are considerably more likely to get into an accident. They all suggest that black is by far the most dangerous color possible for a car - the conclusion was drawn relying on filed police data on 850,000 accidents.
The reason for this is quite obvious - a black car is just harder to see in any light condition. During the day, the study concluded that black cars are 12 percent more likely to be involved in an accident, while during dawn, dusk and night hours, the increased risk percentage rises to a whopping 47 percent compared to the safest color for the same reason.
Photo: FCA
Regarding silver cars, the source presents results from two contradicting studies. One of the studies, from New Zealand, found silver to be the safest of all colors. The other study claims pretty much the opposite, saying silver cars are 10 percent more likely to be involved in an accident, while for grey cars the percentage of risk increases to 11 percent.
The confusion here might have something to do with the fact that with the many possible shades of grey and silver, a clear differentiation between the two might be difficult. However, the fact that there is no consensus on these colors’ level of danger means it’s not yet clear whether they really are that dangerous, although we’re pretty sure that, for instance, a dark grey car is probably about as hard to see as a black one.
There’s no denying white cars are quite visible, regardless if it’s day or night, and studies on the matter confirm this. It’s not quite the safest color out there (although it just might be from a resale point of view), but white cars are apparently 12 percent less likely to be involved in a crash compared to black cars.
This also highlights the fact that a lighter shade on a car will always make it more visible and therefore less likely to be crashed into. Blue seems to be rated as not a particularly safe color. It apparently increases crash risk by 7 percent compared to the safest color, as does red.
Photo: Opel
Green is rated as slightly safer than red or blue, but since they can blend in with surrounding vegetation, it’s fair to assume that you are more likely to miss a green car than, say, an orange one. Orange is among the safest colors, along with gold, although it is not the safest. According to research, the single safest color to have a car painted in is, drumroll, yellow.
It’s definitely easy to understand why yellow has this distinction. Pretty much everything that is intended to be highly visible is painted a shade of yellow because it just pops regardless of which backdrop it’s set against.
Long story short, research advises you to avoid black, grey, silver, red and blue cars, to maximize your car’s chances of not being involved in an accident. The same research suggests that orange, gold and especially yellow cars are far easier to spot and therefore the chances of being crashed into are reduced. In other words, New York taxis should be among the safest vehicles on Earth.
Google News