When purchasing a new vehicle, safety is often a top concern for buyers. Some colors of cars are safer than others, with lower accident rates. The color of a car can impact visibility and driver behavior, contributing to the number of accidents for that color. Understanding which car colors have the lowest accident rates can help buyers make an informed decision to maximize safety.
Factors That Contribute to Car Color Accident Rates
There are a few key factors that contribute to some car colors having lower accident rates than others:
Visibility
Some colors are more visible than others, making the car easier for other drivers to see. Bright colors like yellow or orange stand out against most backgrounds. Darker colors like black can blend into the surroundings, particularly at night or in dark conditions. A car that is easier to see is less likely to be involved in an accident.
Driver Behavior
The color of the car impacts driver behavior and psychology. Drivers of brightly colored cars tend to drive more cautiously and are less likely to speed or drive recklessly. Drivers of darker cars that blend in more may be more aggressive. Additionally, the attitude of other drivers can be impacted by car color and lead to different accident rates.
Resale Value
Some colors hold their value better when reselling. This impacts the types of drivers and demographics that purchase certain color cars. For example, silver and white often have high resale value and may be purchased more frequently by older, more cautious drivers with higher incomes. This demographic may practice safer driving habits leading to lower accident rates.
Research Studies on Car Color and Accident Rates
Several research studies have analyzed real-world data to identify connections between car color and accident likelihood. Here are some of the key findings:
University of Auckland Study
A 2012 study by researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand analyzed over 36,000 two-car collisions between 1998-2012. Key findings:
- White cars were involved in only 13.3% of accidents despite making up 21% of registered vehicles.
- Black cars were involved in 23.4% of collisions, but made up only 11.5% of cars.
- Silver cars accounted for 15% of crashes vs 18% of cars on the road.
Based on this, black cars had significantly higher accident rates, while white cars had the lowest.
Monash University Study
Researchers from Monash University in Australia looked at over 850,000 crashes between 1987-2004. Findings included:
- Drivers of brown cars had the highest risk, being 127% more likely to be in a serious collision.
- Gray cars were 50% more likely to be in a serious crash than white cars.
- White cars again had the lowest accident risk.
This large-scale study also pointed to white cars as the safest based on real crash data.
SGI Study
The Saskatchewan Government Insurance company analyzed 2.7 million crashes in the Canadian province between 2005-2014. Their results showed:
- Black cars were 12% more likely to be in collisions than average.
- White and silver cars had significantly lower crash rates than average vehicles.
The white and silver vehicle advantage held up in this large database as well.
Which Color is Safest Overall?
While there are some variations between studies, the overall consensus based on the data is clear:
White cars consistently show the lowest accident rates across multiple studies and databases.
Factors that contribute to white cars’ advantage likely include:
- High visibility against most backgrounds.
- Positive driver psychology associations with white as a clean, safe color.
- Higher resale value leads to more cautious driver demographics purchasing white vehicles.
Other Safe Car Colors
In addition to white, the research points to some other colors that appear to have lower than average accident rates:
Silver
Like white, silver is a light neutral color that stands out well against most backdrops. It did have lower crash rates in several studies, though not as low as white vehicles. The high resale value of silver also contributes to safer driver demographics.
Yellow
Yellow cars have high visibility, like white. Their bright color makes them easy to see in most conditions. However, yellow is less common than white and silver, so there is less extensive data on its safety. Initial statistics are promising for yellow vehicles having lower accident rates.
Least Safe Car Colors
The research is also clear on which car colors see higher crash rates:
Black
Black cars likely have higher accident rates because of lower visibility, especially at night. The color black can also project aggressive or risky driver psychology.
Gray
Like black, gray can suffer from lower visibility in some conditions. It also lacks the positive psychological associations of white. Gray had clearly higher crash rates in the Monash University study.
Brown
Brown had the worst collision rates in the Monash research. It lacks visibility, and cultural associations with the color brown as dirty may negatively impact other drivers’ behavior.
The Impact of Vehicle Color on Insurance Costs
Auto insurance companies also analyze color’s role in accident likelihood. Insurance pricing models take color into account as one factor when calculating premiums and risk.
Colors with Higher Insurance Costs
Based on higher accident rates, buying insurance for cars in colors like:
- Black
- Gray
- Brown
- Red
Often carries higher premiums. Drivers of these colors may see their rates increased by 5-15% or more compared to average.
Colors with Lower Insurance Costs
Conversely, cars painted:
- White
- Silver
- Yellow
- Blue
Usually benefit from lower insurance rates, with premium decreases of 5-10% or more, thanks to reduced risk.
Choosing a Safer Car Color
While car color should not be the only factor in choosing a vehicle, it is one piece of data to consider carefully. Those prioritizing safety should gravitate towards:
- White – Safest overall based on visibility and driver psychology.
- Silver – Also has high visibility and safe image.
- Yellow – Bright color stands out, improving safety.
And avoid higher-risk colors like:
- Black
- Gray
- Brown
Beyond potential accident reduction, choosing a safer color can also lead to lower auto insurance rates over the life of the vehicle. While personal preference matters, buyers should think carefully about color selection as part of maximizing safety and savings.
Conclusion
Extensive research based on millions of real-world crashes demonstrates clear differences in accident rates by car color. White vehicles are shown to have the lowest risk, while black cars carry higher collision likelihood. Factors like visibility, driver psychology, and demographics help create these disparities. Along with safety impacts, color choice affects insurance costs. Those looking to optimize safety and savings should consider choosing white, silver, yellow or other light colors with lower associated driving risks. While not definitive, color is one useful data point buyers can weigh in protecting themselves on the road.