A study of Singapore cab has expose the colouration of the car take a difference to its stroke risk . Over a period of 36 month , white-livered taxis had 6.1 few collisions per 1,000 fomite than aristocratical ones . That ’s 9 percent fewer chance event . As the author of the study note :   “ This finding can play a significant function when choosing colors for public transport and may save life as well as millions of dollars . ” The subject area is write in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .

preceding studies have found that sure colors of car are less likely to be involved in accidents than others . However , most such research has a major fault – it ca n’t tell apart between intrinsical safety and ego - fulfilling vaticination . After all , if citizenry think white car are dependable than red ones , safety equipment - conscious drivers will probably buy blank cars and have few crashes than f number devils who prefer red . Some study have an even bigger problem in that they   lack precise distributions of colour relative frequency to use as a base .

Professor Teck - Hua Hoof the National University of Singapore saw an opportunity to do well . The large operator of taxi in Singapore uses yellow and juicy cab since two competing caller merged . Hiring is done by the same squad , with driver allocated randomly . The   drivers who engage both coloration fomite have fewer accident when in yellowed cab .

From 2012 to 2014 , yellow taxis were involved in 65.6 fortuity per 1,000 cab per month , while dingy car had 71.7 chance event per thousand . Ho and his conscientious objector - authors were able to rule out difference in the time cars were on the road and their   average speeds .

recondite examination of the data revealed the divergence lay in accidents where the other machine driver failed to notice the taxi , such as   when the taxicab was hit from behind . The difference was large at night .

Although Ho ’s work designate that you ’re better off catch a scandalmongering taxi than a down one , and you might want to think about the color for your next car , there could be a paradox if everyone takes the same advice . The theme take note that yellow cab have been popular since 1907 , when a University of Chicago study found they were the most likely to stand out among the black Model - T Fords that dominated the road at the time , making them easier for potential customers to spot .

If enough people start buying yellowed cars for safety reasons , spicy vehicles may become so rare they are more noticeable by compare , and therefore end up being safer . Still , we ’re a long mode from that gunpoint , so if you require to minimise the hazard of a crash , take thebig yellow hack .