Safety in Superstition

FADE THE CROWD

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of Friday the 13th, making it the most feared day and date in history. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. It's been estimated that $800-$900 million is lost in business on this day. 

In Finland, a consortium of governmental and nongovernmental organizations led by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health promotes the National Accident Day to raise awareness about automotive safety, which always falls on a Friday the 13th. The event is coordinated by the Finnish Red Cross and has been held since 1995.

Corresponding data from the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics on 12 June 2008 stated that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Dutch insurers received reports the daily average of 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was only 7,500. Therefore, is it plausible to believe that Friday the 13th is actually one of the safest days of the year to travel?