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What is the best high-visibility color?

You know the dangers of jogging and walking near traffic. Even when you have the right of way — in a crosswalk, for instance — you can get hit by a driver who does not yield and perhaps never sees you at all. This is especially a problem at dusk and dawn, when it’s still fairly dark and you can blend into the shadows.

To protect yourself, you decide to wear high-visibility clothing when you know you’ll be around cars. But should you wear orange or yellow? Which gives you the most protection and stands out to drivers?

When looking at the brightness alone, people tend to gravitate toward yellow. Florescent yellow is often thought of as the very brightest color that will stand out the most against those shadows. If that’s your goal, it may be perfect.

However, orange is a very close second, and it also has some other advantages. People associate it more with the idea of “caution” or danger, so that’s what they think of first when they see it. There’s a reason that hunters wear orange to stand out. You can’t find that shade anywhere in nature and anyone seeing it knows they need to be careful. Neon yellow, though brighter, may not have the same instant impact on a driver.

Regardless of which color you choose, having high-visibility clothing can absolutely help you stay safe. Unfortunately, drivers still make mistakes, and you could suffer serious injuries if you get hit. It is important to know how to seek out financial compensation for lost wages, medical bills and other costs.

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