Does it matter what color car you drive?

There is a reason Prince sang about a “Little Red Corvette,” and not a grey or beige one. Red cars project a certain image that some drivers want to give off. However, there is no research to show that drivers of red cars are faster or more reckless than those of other colored vehicles.

A visible car is a safer car

An Australian study looked at car colors and how they affect safety. Red was safer than silver, gray and black cars because it stood out more. White was the safest color of car to drive, and black the most dangerous. Researchers found that people driving white cars were 12% less likely to crash than those driving black ones.

Color is not the only way to make your car more visible

Color is worth considering the next time you change your car. Here are some steps you can take to make yourself more visible in your current vehicle:

• Consider your road positioning: This is especially crucial if your car is low to the ground.
• Switch your lights on: They make you more visible at any time of day.
• Indicate early: Assume it will take other road users some time to notice you are indicating.

How you drive is far more important in staying safe than your vehicle color.

Driving a low visibility car does not make you responsible for a crash

Even if you drove a big yellow taxi with flashing blue lights on it, some drivers would fail to notice you. Many are distracted by their phones, children or other things. Do not let them try to blame you for a car crash they caused.