Research from the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) in Australia and a population-based case-control study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) conducted in Auckland, New Zealand, found that black, gray, and silver vehicles carry a statistically higher crash risk than white vehicles.

The effect is most pronounced in low-light conditions — dawn, dusk, and nighttime — where black cars showed up to ~47% higher crash risk compared to white. In daylight, the elevated risk is smaller but still statistically significant: black (~12%), gray (~11%), and blue/red (~7% each) above the white baseline.

Note: results for silver specifically vary between studies — some found no significant difference from white, while others found elevated risk. Silver is presented as "results vary by study." Comprehensive U.S.-specific studies on this topic are limited.

The core factor is visibility. Darker vehicle colors — particularly black, gray, and dark blue — blend into road surfaces, shadows, and low-light backgrounds. This reduces the contrast between the vehicle and its environment, meaning other drivers have less time to detect and react to the vehicle's presence.

This effect is amplified at dawn and dusk, when ambient light changes rapidly and dark objects become especially difficult to distinguish. White vehicles, by contrast, provide the highest contrast against typical asphalt, roadside foliage, and shadowed areas, giving other drivers the greatest reaction window.