Is there a correlation between car color & crash risk in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida? The research is ambiguous. As a result, a driver’s theory that your car’s color caused them to hit you might not meet the rigorous standards required by a court. When a driver tries to shift the blame to you due to your car’s color, reach out to Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers at (561) 944-4000 for help.
Most car accidents result from dangerous driving behaviors, like speeding or distracted driving, rather than car color. If you’ve been in an accident, a Palm Beach Gardens car accident lawyer can fight to focus the case on the other driver’s actions. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation.
How Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers was founded to help people in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, fight for injury compensation. Our lawyers provide the following legal services after an injury caused by a preventable traumatic incident:
- Reviewing the case and providing legal guidance about the options for compensation
- Gathering documents and other evidence and filing an insurance claim
- Negotiating with the insurer to try to resolve the case without litigation
- Filing a lawsuit if the insurer or at-fault party refuses to settle
Proving liability for a car accident requires legal knowledge and experience. Our attorneys have over 80 years of combined legal experience standing up to insurers and at-fault parties. Over the past 11 years, our firm has recovered over $200 million in compensation for our clients.
Contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers for a free consultation with a Palm Beach Gardens car accident attorney to learn how we can help you prove liability and seek compensation after your accident.
Studies About the Effects of Car Color on Crash Risks
Dozens of studies have examined links between car color and accidents. These studies are generally not directed at researching whether some colors are more difficult to see in certain situations. Logically, black or dark blue cars will be more difficult to see on unlit roads, particularly if the driver has their headlights turned off.
Instead, these studies look at whether any colors are always more dangerous than other colors. In other words, these studies look at whether some car colors are more likely to be involved in a crash regardless of the lighting, weather, and visibility.
University of Auckland Research
Researchers at the University of Auckland reviewed just under 600 crash records and 600 control records. They used statistical techniques to eliminate the influence of “confounders” that could make it appear that color affects crashes when it does not. For example, the study controlled for the time of day and the driver’s alcohol use to account for their effects on vision.
This study normalized the crash risk by comparing it to the crash risk for white cars. The relative risks of other colors were measured as either riskier or less risky than the risk associated with white cars. The study found that silver cars are always safer than white cars, independent of the driver or environment.
The study also found that black, brown, and green cars tended to be more dangerous in all conditions. However, the statistical significance of these findings was not as strong as the findings for silver.
Monash University Research
A study by Monash University looked at over 850,000 Australian car accident reports. This study applied similar statistical tools to cleanse the data of confounders. However, the researchers reached conclusions that contradicted the earlier study.
Specifically, the study concluded that silver and red cars are always riskier than white cars. It also found an elevated crash risk for blue, green, and gray cars. The study concluded that no color was consistently safer than white. Thus, the only agreement between the studies was that green cars are riskier than white cars.
University of Dayton Research
Researchers at the University of Dayton reviewed the prior studies and conducted their analysis using just under 950,000 Ohio car accident records. The study used a different analytical approach and limited its analysis to the vehicle color of the driver found not at fault for the crash, and ignored the color of the at-fault driver’s vehicle.
By making these adjustments, the study found that car color does not correlate with crash risk. In other words, no color is always more difficult to see and, thus, is always at risk of getting hit regardless of the environmental conditions.
Liability for Crashes Where Visibility May Play a Role
Based on the conclusions reached in the University of Dayton study, the liability for a crash should rest on the at-fault driver regardless of your car’s color. While the driver can blame your actions, such as driving while distracted, the driver cannot rely on color to shift the liability to you.
Contact Our Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Car accidents in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, result from many factors, including visibility, but car color does not excuse another driver’s dangerous driving behaviors. Contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers for a free consultation with a Palm Beach Gardens car accident lawyer to discuss the evidence we can use to prove the other driver’s liability for your injuries.
