How to make your car more visible on the road
Whether it to do with the weather, road or fellow driver's abilities, here are some things you can do to ensure you're as visible as possible on the roads no matter the conditions.You may think red is the best coloured car if you want to be seen on the road or that installing a flashing light on top of your vehicle is a great way to increase visibility. In either case, you’d be mistaken.
There are some smart, legal ways you can make it more likely for your car to be seen by distracted drivers or any driver at all on the road with the goal of upping the safety factor. Here are five easy ways to make your car more visible on the road.
Get a white car
The worst colour car to drive as far as the risk of crashes is black and the best is a white car, a study by Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) found.
Black has a 12 per cent higher crash risk relative to white, grey has an 11 per cent higher crash risk, silver has a 10 per cent higher crash risk and blue and red both have a seven per cent higher crash risk.
More bad news for the red car lovers: a psychological study found a link between the colour and higher testosterone levels, something that may be associated with aggressive driving behaviour rather than visibility.
Experts advise that, if you have a car that scores lower on the visibility scale, switching your low beams on when the light is poor could keep you safer on the road.
Make sure your lights are working
It’s surprising how many people drive a car at night that has a non-working headlight.
In general, in all states and territories, this is illegal. In NSW you risk a fine of up to $2200 and in Queensland up to $2699.
While faulty headlights should be picked up during a mechanical inspection, it’s up to you too to check your lights are in good working order.
Buy a car with Daytime Running Lights
Many new vehicles now have Daytime Running Lights as standard.
That’s good news because a study by MUARC found Daytime Running Lights can reduce the chances of your car being involved in a daytime, multi-vehicle crash by 8.8 per cent, says Jerome Carslake, Program Director of the National Road Safety Partnership Program.
In speed zones of more than 75 km an hour, the crash rate was reduced by a whopping 13.8 per cent.
Add a reflective strip
You could try reflective tape on your bumpers to make your car more visible, especially at night. While it’s generally not illegal, don’t put it on the windows, or block the license plate.
Making your car look like an emergency vehicle or a police car is prohibited, so if you were considering a similar colour scheme or a flashing light overhead, don’t.
Check with the authority in your state or territory about local laws before customising your vehicle.
Watch out for idiots
It always pays to leave adequate room between you and other cars to give you a get out option in case of behaviour that is likely to lead to a driving accident, says Carslake.
Beyond that, exercise defensive driving by being alert for sudden, stupid actions such as cars speeding straight through roundabouts or lights, or drives turning right without indicating or slowing down. Avoid doing the same yourself.
Related: Children and car safety: Everything you should know
Related: Six things that show you’re a good driver
Related: The designated driver checklist for a safe night out
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