Are drivers seeing red? Car colour perceptions revealed
Red cars are most likely to be associated with reckless drivers; black cars also line up at the front of the grid.
Nearly half of all people in the UK believe there is a positive correlation between car colour and reckless driving – and just over one in five think that red car drivers are the main culprits, according to new statistics.
A recent survey by car dealership network Trusted Dealers found that 45 per cent of people selected at least one specific colour which they associated with reckless driving. The most common colour chosen was red, which received votes from 21 per cent of all respondents. The statistics also shows that the likelihood of choosing red as a colour for reckless drivers increases with age; while one-quarter (25 per cent) of those aged 55 and over felt that red was linked with careless driving, just 15 per cent of those aged between 18 and 34 agreed.
Meanwhile, the colour black was the second-most voted colour, with 17 per cent of respondents associating it with reckless driving. However, when asked which colour people would consider buying, black was the top choice across the board with 58 per cent overall saying they would consider it when purchasing a used car. Conversely, pink was the colour most likely to be avoided during purchase, with 70 per cent stating they would not consider buying a pink used car despite very few people citing irresponsible connotations – just three per cent of people saw any association between the hue and a driver’s lack of sensibility on the road.
Myths around the correlation between car colour and insurance rates are widespread, but Trusted Dealers is quick to bust the urban legend. Neil Addley, Managing Director at Trusted Dealers, says: “It’s fascinating to see how our customers respond to something as simple as the colour of a car – there’s no correlation between reckless driving and car colour that we know of, but the fact that people hold these emotional associations shows that there’s a real connection in the way different cars are perceived – whether that’s through the media or elsewhere.
“Older people have seen enough trends come and go to develop a stronger association with different car colours, and their response in this survey has given us a fascinating glimpse into the cultural impact that car colour can have on the industry as a whole.”
Mandy x
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Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
