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Hazardous Journey

Car colour and risk of car crash injury: population based case control study

BMJ 2003; 327 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7429.1455 (Published 18 December 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;327:1455
  1. S Furness, research fellow (s.furness@auckland.ac.nz)1,
  2. J Connor, senior lecturer1,
  3. E Robinson, biostatistician1,
  4. R Norton, professor of public health2,
  5. S Ameratunga, senior lecturer1,
  6. R Jackson, professor of epidemiology1
  1. 1Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
  2. 2George Institute for International Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  1. Correspondence to: S Furness

    Globally, road traffic crashes kill about 3000 people a day.1 Identification of modifiable risk factors is an important step in reducing this burden. Previous research suggests that white or light coloured cars are less likely to be involved in a crash, than cars of other colours.2 We investigated the effect of car colour on the risk of a serious injury from a crash, using a population based case control study designed to identify and quantify modifiable risk factors.

    Participants, methods, and results

    The Auckland car crash injury study was conducted in the Auckland region of New Zealand between April 1998 and June 1999.3 4 The study population comprised all drivers of cars on public (urban and rural) roads in the region. Cases (n = 571) were all car drivers involved in crashes in which one or more of the …

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