“Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black,” Henry Ford once said to potential customers of his new Model T. Today, more than 100 years after the model T was released, cars come in a rainbow of colors, and the most popular is no longer Henry Ford’s iconic black.
Myths abound about those colors – some insist that certain ones make you more likely to be involved in a wreck or make it more difficult for you to get insurance. But those are just myths. Here are some facts about your car’s color and how it affects your life.
Most popular car colors in 2013
Despite Mr. Ford’s penchant for black, modern consumers have opted for a much larger color spectrum throughout the years. Many still prefer neutrals. In fact, more drivers choose white, and they have for several years. Here’s a breakdown of color preferences:
Global
- White 22%
- Silver 20%
- Black 19%
- Grey 12%
North America
- White 21%
- Black 19%
- Silver 16%
- Grey 16%
Red car myth
Whenever you buy a car, new or used, at least one relative or friend will, without fail, recommend against the color red. “Red cars get pulled over more often, get into more accidents, and are harder to insure,” these well-meaning acquaintances will say, oblivious to the fact that the popular myth they are repeating has no statistical basis.
Insurance providers don’t ask the color of your vehicle. And if there were any truth to the myth, they’d know it and protect themselves against it.
There are many reasons why this misconception could have originated and gained steam. Many sports cars are red; statistically, sports car owners drive more aggressive and therefore are more likely to be involved in accidents. The correlation between tickets, accidents, and insurance costs has much more to do with the vehicle model, however, than with car color.
Another hypothesis is that red cars are easier for police to see and therefore more likely to be ticketed. The facts don’t support the notion. Drivers of red cars actually don’t get ticketed more often than they should.
A third conjecture about red cars is that the bright color affects drivers’ moods, inciting them to become more aggressive, passion-driven, and reckless. Theories abound about color psychology, but none of them have been statistically proven.
What car color says about you
Many people believe that your choice of car color reflects your personality. While some car color choices can’t be helped because of used car limitations, limited color options, and availability, it can be fun to think about what aspects of your personality are projected out onto your car.
Color theorist Leatrice Eisman shares some ideas:
- White: fastidious, kind, lives a simple and uncomplicated life
- Silver: elegant, cool, classy, even-tempered
- Black: empowered, not easily manipulated, loves elegance and appreciates classics
- Grey: sober, corporate, practical, pragmatic
- Red: sexy, sensual, high-energy, dynamic, enthusiastic
- Gold: intelligent, warm, comfort-loving
- Light/Mid blue: cool, calm, faithful, quiet, patient
- Dark blue: credible, confident, dependable
- Taupe/ Light brown: timeless, basic, has simple tastes
- Deep brown: down to Earth, no-nonsense
- Dark green: traditional, trustworthy, well-balanced, cautious
- Bright yellow or green: trendy, whimsical, lively
- Orange: fun-loving, talkative, fickle
- Deep purple: creative, individualistic, original.
Buying a car can be overwhelming. In the grand scheme of things, color matters very little, especially because it doesn’t affect your auto insurance.
Aspects you should consider before glancing at your potential car’s hue are the model’s safety ratings, brand and the location in which you’ll be driving. All of these aspects can affect your car insurance premiums and create unexpected costs.
When buying a car, it’s best to choose safety first; then you can let your true colors shine.
Source: AutoInsurance
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