Fear of Friday the 13th. According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, 17 to 21 million Americans may have this phobia. The result is nearly a billion dollars in lost productivity because these people stay home or alter their routines. A Dutch study actually found that (at least in the Netherlands) there are fewer traffic accidents on Fridays the 13th. A British study, however, found no deviation from any other day of the year.
The final verdict: Friday has traditionally been an unlucky day for centuries, but the significance of Friday the 13th is slowly diminishing across Western culture.


























