Silver is safer - research

22 December 2003: Silver colored vehicles are less likely than vehicles of other colors to be involved in a crash causing serious injuries, according to research from New Zealand.

The scientists at the University of Auckland say the risk of being injured in a silver car is 50 per cent less than in white cars.

They are quoted in a report in The British Medical Journal.

Their investigation involved a study of more than 1,000 drivers in New Zealand between 1998 and 1999.

About half the drivers had been involved in a crash in which one or more occupants had been admitted to hospital or died while 571 had not had crashes and acted as a control group.

After taking into account factors such as the age and sex of the driver, the use of seat belts, the age of the vehicle and the road conditions, they found that color still had an impact.

Their work suggests an increased risk of a serious injury in brown, black and green cars.

Previous research has suggested that white or light-colored cars are less likely to be involved in a crash than cars of other colors.

More than 3,000 people die every day in car crashes around the world.

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