Dutch statisticians have established that Friday 13th, a date regarded in many countries as inauspicious, is actually safer than an average Friday.
A study published on Thursday by the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) showed that fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays.
"I find it hard to believe that it is because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home, but statistically speaking, driving is a little bit safer on Friday 13th," CVS statistician Alex Hoen told the Verzekerd insurance magazine.
In the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday, the CVS study said. But the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500.
There were also fewer incidents of fire and theft, although the average value of losses on Fridays 13th was slightly higher.
Friday the 13th phobia is rooted in western culture. Some people are so paralyzed with fear they simply don’t get out of bed. Others steadfastly refuse to fly on an airplane, buy a house, or act on a hot stock tip.
荷兰统计学家日前公布，在很多国家被认为不吉利的“黑色星期五”其实比普通星期五更安全。
荷兰保险数据统计中心（CVS）于本周四公布的一项研究显示，在“黑色星期五”发生的事故及火灾、盗窃报告起数均少于其它星期五。
该机构的统计学家阿莱克斯•霍恩在接受Verzekerd保险杂志的采访时说：“我很难相信这是因为人们在这一天格外小心或者干脆不出门，但从数据统计看，黑色星期五的交通安全状况比普通星期五略好。”
该研究称，在过去两年中，荷兰的保险公司平均每周五收到7800起交通事故的报告，但在“黑色星期五”仅为7500例。
此外，“黑色星期五”的火灾和盗窃报告数也较少，不过这一天的商业损失可要比平时略高一些。
对于“黑色星期五”的恐惧深深植根于西方文化中。有些人太害怕了，所以遇到这一天干脆不起床；有些人则坚决不坐飞机、买房或炒股。