Which Car Colours Are More At Risk Of Accidents And Being Pulled Over?

Most people choose their car based on things like which fuel type it takes, the engine specs, and how safe it is. Of course, colour is also something people consider, but it isn’t what you think about when it comes to actual vehicle performance and safety.

However, even though it sounds like something you’d hear on the playground, in reality, car colour can influence safety on the roads. According to official data, some cars are more likely to be pulled over than others, and some are more likely to be involved in accidents.

The Red Car Myth Debunked

You’ve probably heard the myth about red cars from a parent or grandparent when you were buying your first car. A classic old wive’s tale, mostly fueled by Hollywood and computer games, red cars have a reputation for being speed demons and are more likely to be pulled over by the police.

However, according to 2023 data from the UK Department for Transport, silver and black cars are more likely to be pulled over. In fact, they found that silver cars were pulled over 22% and black cars 20%, out of all colours.

Red cars only accounted for 12% of police stops.

Of course, flashy sports cars and those with boy-racer-esque modifications are probably more likely to be pulled over. But if you’re going by paint colour alone, and you think that red paint puts you more at risk of being pulled over, then the facts simply don’t back up the myths.

But what about car accidents and car colour? Is there a correlation?

Which Colour Cars Are More Likely to Be in An Accident?

According to UK data from SimplyQuote in 2025, red cars do, unfortunately, end up in more car accidents than others.

In fact, they account for 60% of car accidents in the UK, with brown cars close behind at 59% and black cars at 57%. White and grey cars were much less likely to be involved in an accident.

So, why is this the case? We hear you ask. Let’s find out.

Are Light Coloured Cars Safer Than Darker?

At this point, you might be assuming that this is all just random and in reality, the colour of your car has no impact on whether you’ll be involved in a car accident. However, visibility is one of the most important factors when it comes to road accidents, which is backed up by data from Australia.

According to The Monash University Accident Research Centre, black cars are 12% more likely to crash than white ones during the day. At night? This jumps to a frightening 47%.

Other studies back this up, with white cars having 12% fewer collisions than black cars overall, and yellow cars being marginally safer, potentially due to how visible they are on the roads.

So, with the research showing a correlation, have insurance companies caught on?

Do Car Insurance Premiums Go Up For Different Car Colours?

Another myth you’ve probably come across is that insurers charge higher premiums for certain coloured cars. However, this is not the case.

Postcode, driving history, vehicle model, and other such factors are vastly more important factors when it comes to the cost of insurance, as you probably would expect. As a result, colour very rarely, if ever, factors into the calculation.

Which Car Colour Do You Go For?

In terms of whether red is more likely to be pulled over by police, you’re pretty safe on that front. As long as you aren’t speeding or driving recklessly, you have just as much chance of being pulled over as anyone else, generally speaking.

However, in terms of accidents, lighter cars are considered safer due to their higher visibility in low light. This means options for white, light grey, or even bright yellow if you’re concerned about this kind of thing. You should also avoid dark or dull colours like black, dark grey, or brown.