Does the Color of Your Car Matter?

When deciding what car to purchase, color undoubtedly plays an important role. You would never want to be seen driving in anything that you consider an ugly color; that would be humiliating! But what if there was more to the color of your car besides whether you look good driving in it? It is often rumored that certain colored cars (hint: red and yellow) receive more speeding tickets and get in more accidents than others. If this is true, it is definitely something worth considering.

Could it really be true?

According to the experts, the quick answer is no. There have been several studies done on the very subject and they have all come up inconclusive. There are too many variables to consider, such as the quantity of each color of car on the road, driving conditions, and the age and ability of the driver. Additionally, the American International Automobile Dealers Association points out that if the color of your car really affected your chances of getting a ticket then your insurance rates would be higher. Currently, insurance companies do not take into consideration the color of your car when computing your rate. They do consider the make and model of your car, but not the color.

Is there more to the equation?

Just because there are no scientific studies to prove that certain car colors get more tickets, there is another factor to consider: the psychology of colors. It has been proven that certain colors can affect your mood. For example, blue is considered to be a calming and relaxing color while red is thought to increase your blood pressure and heart rate. If this is true, it would make sense that people driving red cars (assuming the hood of the car can be seen while driving) would feel the need to drive faster, resulting in more tickets.

Another factor to consider is the subconscious thoughts that cops have. If asked, every cop will tell you that they pull people over based strictly on the infraction, not the color of the car. That being said, most people are more likely to notice a red car over a silver or white car. If there are two cars speeding by at the same time, the cop will probably see the red one first. This is not scientific evidence but simply a hypothesis based on nothing but opinion.

The bottom line:

You should choose a car color based on what you find aesthetically pleasing and what you think you will look good driving in. As long as you drive safely and follow the speeding laws you don’t need to worry about what color car you are driving.