Car Color & Crash Risk

Car accidents can happen for many reasons in a city like Lafayette, Louisiana. Driver behavior, weather, and lighting conditions are a few of the factors that can make a traffic crash more or less likely. Another less-discussed element that can affect the probability of a collision is the color of the vehicles involved. Is there truly a connection between car color and crash risk?

The experienced Lafayette car accident lawyer at Kenny Habetz Injury Law understands the complexity of car and truck collisions. Vehicle color may not be a decisive factor in determining who will get into an accident, but it’s important to realize that even small details can affect your risk of injury in a crash.

With us, you can learn more about these and other car accidents that we handle like, intersection crashes, highway crashes, and more.  Read on to learn more, and contact our firm at (337) 399-9000 for a free case review if you need legal assistance. 

How Kenny Habetz Injury Law Can Help You After a Crash in Lafayette, LA

How Kenny Habetz Injury Law Can Help You After a Crash in Lafayette, LA

Following a car accident in Lafayette, LA, you could face medical bills, lost wages, and damage to your vehicle or other property. In severe wrecks, these expenses can be significant.

At Kenny Habetz Injury Law, we understand this unfortunate reality and are committed to helping you recover the compensation you need. 

Our Lafayette personal injury attorney can:

  • Investigate your accident, determine fault, and collect evidence to prove liability
  • Submit your insurance claim and file a lawsuit if necessary
  • Speak with law enforcement, insurance adjusters, and others on your behalf
  • Help you understand the value of your case
  • Pursue a settlement or trial verdict to address your losses

The insurance companies care about their interests and bottom line, not yours. Kenny Habetz Injury Law is dedicated to you and your recovery. We’ll thoroughly investigate your accident and determine who’s responsible for it. We’ll then devote our skills and resources to helping you pursue compensation for your losses.

Contact our Lafayette personal injury lawyer to discuss your auto accident and how we can assist.

How Car Color Might Impact Accident Risk

The vehicle color you choose can make a statement about your personality. However, any correlation between car color and accident risk has less to do with the driver’s attitude and more to do with visibility. Certain car colors are more difficult to see, making it more likely that drivers will be involved in a collision.

Low- and High-Contrast Colors and Car Accidents

Car colors like black, dark blue, green, and brown are classified as “receding” colors, meaning they aren’t bright or contrasting. The lack of these qualities makes it easier for objects of these colors to blend into the background. Other motorists could miss such cars on the road, especially if there are other conditions affecting visibility, such as fog, clouds, or darkness.

By comparison, bright and high-contrast colors like gold, red, and orange are easier for other motorists to see. Vehicles painted these colors tend to be in fewer crashes than vehicles with receding colors.

Certain car colors are more popular than others. This means that there are more cars and trucks of certain colors on the road, which in turn makes it more likely that these vehicles will be involved in wrecks. The most popular vehicle colors in the U.S. include white, gray, black, silver, and dark blue.

The Effects of Certain Colors on Other Drivers

Finally, certain colored vehicles could trigger an aggressive reaction in other motorists. Older research has suggested that motorists tend to become angrier when they see a red vehicle commit a traffic infraction or engage in risky behavior. As such, that bright red sports car that cuts you off in traffic might make you more indignant than a black or gray car doing the same.

Human and Environmental Factors vs. Car Colors

Despite research suggesting a correlation between car color and crash risk, the factors that play a greater role in determining whether an accident will occur are within drivers’ control. 

The following behaviors increase a motorist’s risk of a collision far more than vehicle color:

  • Driving too fast for road conditions
  • Ignoring right-of-way laws and other rules of the road
  • Failing to obey stop signs, yield signs, and traffic signals
  • Following other vehicles too closely
  • Aggressively weaving in and out of traffic

Factors like the weather and time of day can also make mishaps more likely. No driver can magically turn a rainy day into a sunny one, nor can they make it brighter in the middle of the night. However, drivers can choose whether to get on the road when darkness, fog, and other conditions are present and whether they want to assume the risks associated with them.

Contact Our Experienced Lafayette Car Accident Attorney For a Free Consultation

Car accidents can be complicated events to understand. Even seemingly minor details and decisions can be critical to figuring out how a crash unfolded and who’s to blame. The knowledgeable legal professionals at Kenny Habetz Injury Law can assist you in identifying those responsible for your accident and obtaining compensation for your losses.

Start your journey to recovery today by contacting our team and scheduling a free, no-obligation case review.

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