Almost all new model vehicles come with a five-star ANCAP safety rating these days. It has virtually become a prerequisite that companies simply have to adhere to if they wish to remain competitive. But aside from the technology and gadgets, does the colour make a difference? According to statistics, black cars are 47 per cent more likely to be involved in crashes than other colours. Here are the top 10 safest colours for cars.
1. Yellow
Yellow is famously painted onto every New York taxi, and some taxis in other parts of the world including Melbourne. And there's a reason for it. Yellow is bright and it stands out in rainy conditions, fog, at dusk and dawn and other low-light situations, and it's great at night. It also provides good contrast against other objects around roads, including the black tarmac.
2. White
White might seem like it should be the safest colour, however, studies have shown that white cars are very common and the fact they are common can affect the way they stand out. Or rather, not stand out. White is still regarded as a very safe option as it can be seen more clearly in low-light conditions and it's a straight contrast against the black road. It's not number one here though as it can be difficult to see in pouring rain during the day and in fog during the day.
3. Orange
Orange is no doubt a very bright colour, but it's also not seen in surrounding areas on the roads - unless you live in the Australian outback. Not all vehicle manufacturers will offer an orange colour, which does make it very hard to obtain, but it is one of the top safest colours you can go for, with some statistics suggest it as the safest of all.
4. Gold
Gold is bright and shiny, which means it stands out during the day. It's also good at reflecting light during the night and provides good contrast with the black road. Like silver above though, it can be difficult to see in really heavy rain, with some headlights giving off a gold-ish tinge against the water spray.
5. Cream
Cream might be a somewhat boring colour but it is quite safe. It provides good contrast against the road and it's relatively bright during the night. Due to its soft-on-the-eye nature though there is a chance you could miss it. During rainy conditions it's also easily clouded over.
6. Pink
Pink is a very safe colour for obvious reasons; it stands out. Not many motorists or pedestrians will mistake a pink vehicle as invisible or as something else. To be a safe colour it needs to separate itself from the surrounds. Since not many objects on and around roads are pink, it is an excellent colour. The only problem is you have to live with a pink car, which might be hard for some people.
7. Silver
Silver is statistically the most popular colour buyers are going for these days, in terms of private new vehicle sales (not including fleet sales). It is a safe colour as it's bright and stands out in low-light conditions. However, in rainy conditions the colour can blend in very well, making it hard to see. For all other other occasions silver is safe. It's also one of the best colours for resale value.
8. Green
Green is a bit like red. There are lots of surrounding objects that are green; the green traffic lights, bus stops and some street lights, and fences are fairly common in green. Out in the suburbs there's lots of green grass to content with as well. This means contrast isn't as high as it is with the brighter colour options as mentioned below.
9. Red
Red is the fastest colour around, obviously, but it's not necessarily the safest. Red can become tangled in the surrounding colours on the street, with traffic lights, brake lights, and various road signs incorporating various shades of red. It does stand out, even in rainy or foggy conditions, however, at night it's not bright enough to light up. It is considered a safe colour, just not as safe as the other options.
10. Blue
Blue is the next safest colour after grey, which means it's not all that safe. Blue tends to blend in with the sky during the day, and it doesn't provide much contrast against the black tarmac. At night it can come across as black if it's a mid-range (or darker) shade of blue.