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Does your car’s color affect its safety?

On Behalf of | May 29, 2024 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Maybe you love the idea of a cherry red car – or maybe you just want a vehicle in basic white because it’s $500 cheaper on the lot. But, did you know that your choice of car color can actually affect your safety?

It sounds strange, but it’s true. Here are the basics to keep in mind when you’re shopping for your next vehicle:

Yellow is good, but white might be even better

If you’re safety-minded, white is probably the safest color vehicle to drive because of its high visibility on the road, followed closely by yellow (although yellow has exceeded white in some studies).

White vehicles are 12% less likely to get in wrecks than black vehicles, simply because they’re the most visible on the road. Other good choices include cream and beige. All of those colors are generally in stark contrast to the road and buildings around them in urban landscapes, and they stick out on dark roads in rural areas, too.

Black is the worst, but gray and silver aren’t much of an improvement

It’s no surprise, then, that black and gray vehicles are statistically more likely to end up in accidents since they tend to blend into the urban landscape, the concrete of the road and the darkness at night.

It may be somewhat startling, however, to learn that silver cars aren’t far behind black and gray ones, however. They have a 10% higher chance of being involved in a wreck than white vehicles, probably because silver tones can also be deceptively hard to spot in dim light or wet weather, where they tend to fade into the background.

Ultimately, the color of your vehicle has less of an impact on your safety than the drivers around you. All it takes is one distracted, aggressive or inebriated driver to ruin your day – and many days going forward as you struggle to recover from your injuries. If you’re in a wreck, learning more about what it takes to make a successful claim for damages can help.

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36-year-old laborer for landscaping company fractured wrist when fellow employee hit him with truck. Claimant received in excess of $30,000 in workers’ compensation benefits for total disability and medical expenses and settled with automobile insurance company for fellow employee for $95,000.

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80-year-old woman sustained right foot fracture when her foot was run over in a parking lot. Case settled for at-fault driver’s policy limit of $100,000 prior to filing suit.

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