London: Friday the 13th has long been held as an unlucky day by the superstitious.
Medical researchers have also concluded that the day is indeed unlucky, after they noticed a dramatic spike in accidents on Friday 13th in a little-known study.
In the early 1990s, a team of medical researchers at the Mid Downs Health Authority, West Sussex, set out to prove whether people really believe that Friday 13th is unlucky - and whether they are more prone to misfortune on that day, the Telegraph reported.
They analysed reams of official statistical data on road traffic flows, supermarket occupancy rates and accident and emergency hospital admissions.
Their results, published in the British Medical Journal under the title “Is Friday the 13th bad for your health”, were startling.
They found 1.4 per cent fewer vehicles on the southern section of the M25 between Junctions 7 to 10 on Friday the 13ths between 1990 and 1992 compared to the previous week.
The weather was fairly similar each week - meaning, the researchers concluded, at least 1.4 per cent of the population “are sufficiently superstituous to alter their behaviour and refrain from driving on motorways on Friday the 13th”.
By contrast, they noted, the number of shoppers at nine Sainsbury’s supermarkets rose by 0.9 per cent - suggesting superstition did not extend to a mortal fear of slipping in the frozen good aisle.
But it was the data on emergency admissions that stunned researchers.
Despite fewer cars on the road, the number of motor accidents in the South West Thames region spiked from a total of 45 on the six Friday 6ths between 1989 and 1992, to some 65 accidents on the six Friday 13ths in the period - an increase of 52 per cent.
The researchers noted that the sample was “too small to allow meaningful analysis.”
However, the team led by Dr TJ Scanlon wrote: “Do drivers on A, B, C and D roads alter their behaviour, and in what way? Is the alteration - for example more wariness - a positive change making them more careful and thus reducing the chance of an accident? If so, Friday the 13th may indeed be a very unlucky day.
“If the change in behaviour reveals itself by increased fear and anxiety, and perhaps a sense of destiny, it may reduce concentration and increase the likelihood of an accident.
“Are people’s perceptions and beliefs self-fulfilling - if you believe something strongly enough will it in fact happen to you? While we await the answers to these difficult questions we may just have to accept that Friday the 13th is indeed unlucky for some and it might be safer to stay at home,” they added.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.