When it comes to speeding tickets, we often wonder if certain colors of cars are more likely to get pulled over. There are many myths and theories about which car colors attract the most attention from traffic police. In this article, we’ll examine data and research to determine which color cars really do get the most speeding tickets.
Do Brighter Colors Get More Tickets?
A common assumption is that brighter, flashier car colors like red or yellow will get you more tickets. The rationale is that these conspicuous colors attract more attention from traffic cops.
Several studies have investigated this theory. One study from a public university looked at over 100,000 speeding tickets issued over a year. They found no significant correlation between car color and likelihood of getting a ticket.
Another study examined 16,000 speeding tickets issued on Canadian highways. Again, brighter colors did not correlate with more tickets. In fact, black cars received the most tickets, followed by blue and silver cars.
The data suggests that bright colors alone do not make a car more prone to speeding tickets. While anecdotal experiences may indicate otherwise, scientifically there is no strong evidence for this popular myth.
Which Colors Get Pulled Over Most Often?
If bright colors don’t necessarily equate to more tickets, which colors do tend to get pulled over most frequently? Let’s look at surveys and data on the matter:
- An analysis of over 2 million car stops by police in Connecticut found that black cars received the most stops, almost 25% more than white cars.
- A study by a Canadian insurance company found that gray, blue, black and silver cars received substantially more speeding tickets than white, yellow, orange, gold and other bright colors.
- An insurance industry survey found that red and black cars were stopped and ticketed more often than other colors.
- Analysis of traffic stops in Cincinnati showed that black and brown cars were stopped at almost twice the rate of white cars.
The data indicates that black, gray and silver cars tend to get pulled over and ticketed the most frequently. Brighter colors like yellow, orange and gold tend to have lower instances of traffic stops.
Why Would Color Influence Stops?
If color does correlate to higher rates of traffic stops, what factors could explain this?
First, we have to consider the demographics of which types of drivers tend to buy certain color cars. For example, younger drivers may be more likely to buy brighter flashy cars. On the other side, older drivers gravitate towards more reserved colors like silver, beige or brown.
Since younger drivers get into more wrecks and traffic violations on average, this could account for some of the difference in ticket rates by color. However, studies try to control for these demographic factors and still find disparities.
Another theory has to do with visibility. Black cars, especially at night, may simply be more difficult for police to spot speeding compared to lighter or brighter cars. If a police officer can’t as easily see and estimate the speed of a darker vehicle, they may be less inclined to pull it over.
Finally, psychological biases may play a role. Studies show people tend to associate darker colors with aggression, hostility and danger. Conversely, lighter brighter colors elicit more positive emotions. This subconscious bias could impact the choices made by police during traffic stops.
The Type of Car Matters Too
While color does appear to have some correlation, the specific make and model of car is also a significant predictive factor for traffic stops.
Sports cars, muscle cars, SUVs and luxury vehicles are much more likely to get pulled over for speeding according to research and driver experiences. What’s the reason for this?
Psychology and stereotypes again come into play. Police may subconsciously profile the typical driver of a flashy sports car or rugged SUV as being more likely to drive aggressively and break traffic laws.
The data backs this up. One study found that owning a sports car versus a family sedan made a driver 50% more likely to get a traffic citation. Driving a sports car resulted in a traffic stop 23% of the time compared to only 14% of the time for sedan drivers.
So while color has some measured impact, the overall profile of the car itself seems to be more salient in predicting which vehicles get pulled over by traffic police.
Which Colors Have the Most Accidents?
We’ve examined which colors tend to get pulled over and ticketed the most. What about motor vehicle accidents? Are certain colored cars more likely to get into crashes?
According to collision data analyzed by insurance companies and researchers, there does seem to be a correlation between car color and accident risk.
One study that looked at over 1 million car crashes found that black cars were overrepresented in accident data compared to their share of vehicles on the road. Black cars were followed by grey, silver and blue in crash frequency.
White and yellow cars had the lowest incidence of crashes according to the data. Similar trends have been identified by insurance industry studies examining payouts for collision damage by car color.
Possible reasons for these accident discrepancies could include:
- Visibility – darker cars being harder to see for other drivers, especially in low light conditions
- Heat absorption – some research indicates black cars absorb more heat which could cause deterioration of exterior components
- Dirt accumulation – darker colors like black or grey show dirt and grime more easily, potentially obstructing views
- Driver demographics – higher risk groups such as younger drivers may be more likely to buy certain colors
So there does seem to be a statistically significant pattern of certain colored cars being overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes. As with tickets, though, the car model itself is still likely a bigger risk factor than color alone.
Which Color Gets Off With A Warning?
What about when you actually get pulled over? Is the car color a factor in whether you receive a ticket versus just a warning?
This data is harder to analyze given all the subjective factors that go into an officer’s decision. However, there are some relevant findings:
- One study found that drivers of yellow cars were issued warnings instead of tickets over 30% more often than drivers of black, blue, gray or red cars.
- Analysis of warnings versus citations showed that silver and orange cars also received warnings more frequently than darker colors.
- Additionally, vehicle age and condition were factors. Older, dingier cars were more likely to receive warnings than newer, well-maintained vehicles.
The influence of color here is less definitive. But the patterns suggest brighter, flashier colors may elicit more leniency compared to darker colored vehicles when pulled over for speeding.
How To Use This Information
Based on the accumulated research, here are some takeaways on how car color could play into speeding tickets and stops:
- Black, grey and silver cars are most likely to get pulled over for speeding and other traffic violations.
- However, lighter and brighter colors, especially yellow, tend to result in warnings rather than citations when stopped.
- Sports cars, luxury vehicles, SUVs and muscle cars are much more likely to get stopped than plain sedans and economy cars.
- Faster and more expensive looking cars will attract more police attention regardless of color.
- While color isn’t irrelevant, the overall profile and look of the car itself matters much more.
- Drivers should thus focus more on safe driving habits than trying to avoid tickets based on color alone.
In summary, research shows car color can correlate with higher rates of speeding tickets, stops and accidents. However, it is not a dominant predictive factor by itself. More important is the overall appearance of the vehicle, as well as safe and lawful driving practices.
Conclusion
There are certain car colors that tend to get pulled over more frequently for speeding tickets. However, the data shows color is not necessarily a driving cause by itself. More significant factors are the make and model of vehicle, as well as driver demographics and behavior.
While darker colors like black, gray and silver do seem to attract more attention from traffic police, brighter colors don’t necessarily translate to fewer stops. And when brighter cars do get pulled over, they appear more likely to receive a warning rather than citation.
In the end, legal driving practices are far more influential than car color in determining tickets. The overall appearance of the car as a fast and expensive sports car or luxury vehicle is a stronger predictor than color alone. While interesting, car color should not be a major concern for safe drivers respecting traffic laws.
