You buy a motorcycle, and it’s matte black. Your leather jacket is black. Your riding gloves are black. Your helmet is black.
It’s clear to you the very first time that you ride that other drivers have a hard time seeing you. The bike is small, it moves quickly and all of that matte black just blends right into the road. You get nervous that someone is going to hit you because they just don’t know that you’re there.
That accident wouldn’t be your fault, of course, but that doesn’t help keep you out of the hospital. For that, you need to be more visible. You decide to buy a new helmet with a bright paint job. But what color should you get?
Anything bright will be better than black. That includes red, orange, white or even pink. However, researchers have studied the wavelengths to see what color the human eye sees as the very brightest color. What they found is that bright yellow, right at the point where it merges with green, is the very brightest color.
That’s why you often see construction workers in those bright green/yellow vests. They used to wear orange, but research made it clear that they’d stand out even more in yellow. Even some firetrucks and ambulances, which are traditionally red, are being painted in this color to help them stand out.
You can use this information to your advantage, and it may help you avoid an accident. Unfortunately, nothing can guarantee that another driver will not hit you. If you get injured in an accident, you need to know what legal steps to take.