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Original poster

What is the safest colour for a car??

31 replies

mamalocco · 28/03/2007 10:00

My current car is dark grey and has been hit 5 times whilst stationery/parked. My previous car was bright blue and no-one ever hit it. Need to choose a colour for the new car and was wondering if there is a pattern or have I just been unlucky with the current one?

OP posts:
nailpolish · 28/03/2007 10:02

i have always thought silver cars were difficult to see in the dark, and more in fog/mist

i would avoid silver

its too common anyway

brimfull · 28/03/2007 10:02

I have heard yellow or red are the safest

Original poster
mamalocco · 28/03/2007 10:10

Had originally thought about silver, since the scratches don't show up as much, but guess if other drivers can see the car better, less likely to get scratched in the first place!! Agree though - way too popular.

Not sure about a yellow car - might consider red.

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 28/03/2007 10:13

loads of research /link{http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/fascinating-facts/safe-vehicle-colours.html/here}

The first bit says taht black is the worst. dp has a black car, and managed to get hit twice in a month, so I can believe that!

Kelly1978 · 28/03/2007 10:14

here

rowan1971 · 28/03/2007 10:16

kelly - long shot, but is your mum a driving instructor by any chance?

Hassled · 28/03/2007 10:17

My father worked for an insurance company and always maintained that red cars were safest - people associate the colour with danger and will instinctively be more careful

Original poster
mamalocco · 28/03/2007 10:20

Okay, so definately not black then - don't think I have much chance of getting DH to drive a pink car!

OP posts:
sixlostmonkeys · 28/03/2007 10:57

This is really interesting.
Years ago (too many years and I'll end up revealing my age) red cars were known to be involved in more accidents. The red being associated with danger makes sense tho.

My last car was a silvery blue and I called it the magnet. EVERYTHING hit that car! there wasn't a panel or wing mirror left inscathed by the time I got rid of it. I can't say for definite it had anything to do with the colour tho - I reckon the ariel that fell from the roof onto it wasn't particular about colours

When I ventured out to buy another car I decided to go for one that was already tatty, then i wouldn't be too upset everytime some supermarket car bumped/scraped it. I still can't believe how lucky I was - the first car sales place i went to had the exact car i was looking for and they were selling it cheap cos the paint-work on the top was really really tatty. I save £2000 and being short I don't even notice the tattyness
It has to be said tho that a year later there have been no bumps, dents, scratches.... it is dark green.

Kelly1978 · 28/03/2007 11:17

rowan, no, lol, she has never even tried to drive a car in her life.

FioFio · 28/03/2007 11:18

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RubyRioja · 28/03/2007 11:29

This reply has been deleted

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rbj949703 · 28/03/2007 23:31

I will NEVER have a red car again, 3 accidents in jut over 2 years, and out of those it was written off twice! I have had a blue car now for 3 years and not had a single accident.

BallsOfChocolate · 28/03/2007 23:32

Whatever colour you like and won't get bored of...

jules99 · 28/03/2007 23:41

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Linnet · 28/03/2007 23:45

I learnt to drive in a bright yellow car, my driving instructor said it was a safe colour but then he was biased as it was his car,lol but I could see his point.

When I bought my car I got a silver one as I had no choice in the colour as it was second hand. Haven't had any problems so far, touch wood.

WE were discussing this at work yesterday and I mentioned I'd been told that red is a safe colour for a car but someone else said that it's not as people often get confused with the brake lights being red and the indicators being orange and they don't show up as much so run into the back of a red car. No idea if there is any truth in that whatsoever though. Someone else also told me that if you have a red car you're more likely to get stopped by the police. Again no idea if there is any truth in that.

I'd go for Blue if I had a choice.

chocolateface · 28/03/2007 23:57

My DH used to have a silver Audi A3. People just didn't seem to see it, and I had a few near misses.(Don't tell him!) I seemed to get a lot of respect when driving his dark blue A4.People see me comming in my red Renault Scenic, but it has been vandalised and hit whilst parked.I'm always careful not to park next to a realy nice car, incase my kids open the door onto it, or next to an old banger, as I know from experience the driver won't bother to much about my car! My point is maybe it's as much as about the type of car and where you park it as much as the colour.

KerryMum · 29/03/2007 00:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lou33 · 29/03/2007 00:05

oops i just ordered a new car in black

AitchTwoOh · 29/03/2007 00:09

when i lived in australia i remember being really confused by the amount of yellow and white cars, but my friend told me it was cos they are the safest colours so the insurance companies give a discount. no idea if it's true.

LedodgyCheapEasterEggsAreASin · 29/03/2007 00:27

I'd go for maroon.

suedonim · 29/03/2007 00:30

My car is a cute yellow and it's pretty visible - great for finding it in big car parks!

Silver is the new white, apparently. After I learnt that little factoid I realised that you indeed see very few new white cars nowadays in the UK. Otoh, in America every other car seems to be white.

AitchTwoOh · 29/03/2007 00:31

my car is pale metallic green... wouldn't be my first choice, let's say.

Hillary · 29/03/2007 00:31

Anything thats not dark, nice bright in your face colours.

nappyaddict · 29/03/2007 02:26

i just don't like white cars .... don't know why. i am hopefully getting a new corsa and want the aqua blue or lilacy colour. just because i like these the most though. i like yellow cars too.