WHAT'S THE SAFEST COLOR FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE?

THERE SEEMS TO BE NO UNANIMOUS OPINION ON THE SAFEST COLOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. IN STUDIES CONDUCTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE COLOR OF AN APPROACHING AUTO INFLUENCES A DRIVER'S JUDGMENT OF HOW FAR AWAY THE VEHICLE IS. OF THE VARIOUS COLORS TESTED ON 164 SUBJECTS, BLUE AND YELLOW MADE DISTANT OBJECTS SEEM CLOSEST - UNDER BOTH DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME CONDITIONS. GREY SHADES MADE OBJECTS APPEAR FARTHEST AWAY. WHITE VEHICLES HAVE LOW VISIBILITY IN SNOW STORMS AND ON LIGHT-COLORED PAVEMENT IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. A SWEDISH COLOR EXPERT STATED THAT BLACK WAS PROBABLY THE MOST DANGEROUS COLOR, THE SAFEST COLOR BEING PINK. AS EVIDENCES BY POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT TESTS, COLOR COMBINATIONS CAN INCREASE A VEHICLE'S VISIBILITY. THE CHARACTER OF REFLECTION IS ALSO IMPORTANT. A DULL SURFACE GIVING A DIFFUSED REFLECTION IS MORE DESIRABLE THAN A GLOSSY SURFACE WHICH MAY REFLECT GLARE INTO THE EYES OF AN APPROACHING DRIVER. A TABLE IS GIVEN LISTING APPROXIMATE LIGHT REFLECTION PERCENTAGES OF A NUMBER OF STANDARD COLORS.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00410721
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 69, No 9, PP 13, 42
• Authors:
  • Nathan, R A
• Publication Date: 1969-9

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Traffic Safety (Chicago)
  • Publisher: National Safety Council
  • ISSN: 0041-0721

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Color; Motor vehicles; Reflectivity; Traffic safety; Visibility
• Uncontrolled Terms: Reflectance
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220610
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 12 1970 12:00AM