What Color Cars Get the Most Tickets

Are you thinking about buying a new car and are hesitant to get it in red? Are you worried that every cop on the road will notice you and pull you over for the slightest infraction? If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Many people want to buy red vehicles but are worried they will be ticketed frequently and have their insurance premiums go through the roof.

Do Red Cars Get More Tickets?

The urban myth that has been promoted for decades is red cars get more tickets. Many parents even go far as to advise or even refuse to buy their teenage kid’s red vehicles for fear the police will target them. While this legend persists today, let’s take a look at what color cars get the most tickets and separate fact from fiction.

You Have a 20% Chance of Getting a Ticket Each Year

According to StatisticBrain.com, about 34 million tickets are written each year that cost motorists $6.3 billion in the US alone. There are over 200 million active drivers in the United States, and around 1 in 5 will get a ticket each year. That amounts to well over 112,000 tickets every single day. This data should make all drivers think twice before breaking traffic laws. Part of the reason citations have gone up in recent years is the increase in red-light cameras. These devices can generate millions for budget-strapped cities, but they have outraged citizens nationwide.

States That Hand Out the Most Tickets

There are certain states where you have a greater chance of getting ticketed. These are the seven states that issue the most citations each year.

Ohio: Even though this state has just 11.6 million residents, it issues more tickets than much larger states.

Pennsylvania: There are almost 13 million Pennsylvanians, and residents have more than their fair share of citations.

New York: The empire state hands out expensive tickets frequently, so drivers beware.

California: The most populated state is home to almost 40 million residents. Californians love their cars and get ticketed more often than nearly any other state.

Texas: As the saying goes, “don’t mess with Texas.” Over 1 million tickets are handed out each year in Texas alone.

Florida: Drive carefully in the Sunshine State because it is in the top 15% when it comes to handing out traffic citations.

Nevada: Although Nevada is small in terms of population, it hands out lots of tickets. One reason is Las Vegas. The entertainment capital of the world reportedly has 1 in 4 drivers intoxicated by either alcohol or drugs. Authorities are continually cracking down by issuing strict citations.

If you live in an urban area with a high police concentration, there is a greater chance you will get ticketed more often than in a rural area. You will also pay more for car insurance if you live in the city.

Red Cars Do Not Get Issued the Most Tickets

If you were to ask anyone what color cars do cops target, the answer would probably be red. That is not the truth, though. Several tests have been done on this subject in the last few years, and white vehicles account for almost 20% of all citations. In some tests, grey cars came in second and red came in third. In other studies, red automobiles came in second. What is key to understanding this subject is the percentage of all red vehicles that get pulled over each year or cited. According to Bankrate.com, 31.4% of new car purchases are black and nearly 20% white.

What color cars get the most tickets? The red ones?

Red cars only make up about 5% of new car purchases and leases but still get their fair share of tickets. About 80% of automobiles in the US fall into the black and white-colored category -including grey and silver. In some studies, red cars were ticketed more than 15% of the time. This percentage is striking because these cars only account for 5% of all vehicles on the road. So, cops are probably not out targeting red vehicles, but they are noticed more in traffic flow and ticketed more proportionately than other colored cars.

Least Likely Cars to Get Ticketed

If you own a black vehicle, you can relax just a little more when you see a cop pulled off to the side of the road with a radar gun. While black automobiles represent 30% of new car buyers’ color choice, they are less likely to get ticketed than white cars and just about any other color.

Black cars are more discrete

This fact might be due to the same reason why black cars get into more accidents; they just aren’t noticed as much. This includes police officers on traffic patrol. White and red vehicles are picked up by the eye much faster than dark, muted colors like black. While a highway patrol officer may state that bright-colored cars are not intentionally targeted, they may subconsciously be alerted to their more brilliant color.

Insurers Do Not Charge More for a Cars Color

Despite the debate whether red cars get cited more often, insurance companies provide further evidence that these stats are not critical. No known insurer asks for the color of a person’s car when calculating insurance rates. If red cars got many more citations and caused more accidents, carriers would use your automobile’s color as a prerequisite to getting quotes.

Simple Tips to Avoid Getting Pulled Over

No matter what color car you drive, you can do some common sense things to avoid getting ticketed. Here are some things you don’t want to do behind the wheel that could get you a ticket, or even worse, in an accident.

• Don’t talk or text on your cell phone.
• Always use your blinker when turning.
• Do not lane change over and over again.
• Do not run red lights.
• Wear your seat belt at all times.
• Do not tailgate.
• Don’t speed more than 10 MPH over the posted limit.
• Do not turn around backward while driving and talk to passengers behind you.
• Do not eat or drink food while driving.

Now that you know what color cars get the most tickets, you can quickly check to see if you can lower your insurance rates. With a quote check-up from goodtogoinsurance, you can reduce your premiums by $500 or more per year. Get started now and take advantage of instant online discounts.