Are there more accidents during a full moon?

Question

I have noticed that there always seems to be more accidents during a full moon. Is there any scientific evidence to support this.

Answer 1

I am sure!! On august 16 2008 it was a full moon and my dad broke his cellphone and lost mine! But it was all an accident! He drank a lot that night.

Answer 2

What you notice is called self-confirming bias.  This phenomenon is so strong that scientists have long recognized the need for observations that not only carefully and objectively document the data, but which are blinded so that the observer can't fudge, even accidentally.

Every properly done test shows that there is no correlation between the phases of the moon and any of the numerous traditional effects people have believed the moon has had on us.

One person has told you to ask any police officer, fireman, and paramedic.  These are classic examples of groups who have not only bought into this nonsense, but vigorously sell it to others.  Let's not forget nurses.  Some of them are big proponents of this, too.  Now ask any of them if they kept an accurate record over a period of time, and they will tell you, "No, I don't need to.  I know what I'm talking about."  No, in fact, they don't.  Slipknot doesn't realize what the *real* statistics show.

When there's a busy night, I have seen these people say, "Oh, it must be a full moon."   They don't even bother to find out.  But that goes down in their memory as a hit.  Then there are the times when it wasn't really all that busy but they knew it was a full moon, so their appraisal of how busy it was is altered to fit the bias.  Score another hit.  Then there are the nights which are extremely busy but they realize it's nowhere near a full moon.  You ignore that one and forget about it, failing to score a miss when you should have.  Then there are the many times they will call it a full moon when it is actually three or four days away from it and the moon looks "kinda" full.  This range includes over 1/4 of the whole lunar cycle.  Score some more hits that really aren't.  You combine these careless kinds of observations and you will come away with a strong belief in lunar influences.

I saw a teenager bowling once, back in the days of paper score sheets.  I noticed that he only scored the frames where he had a mark.  He did this three games in a row.  Later, I asked him what his average was.  He proudly announced "220," and showed me his sheet, like it was proof.  I'm sure he actually *believes* he is that good, because for every frame he left open, he could come up with some excuse for not recording it.  That's what people do with the moon.

Look at the one below me.  ONE HIT and this person believes in mystical effects!

Answer 3

No.  A full moon is simply a phase of the moon where the entire surface of the moon which is facing us is lit up by sunlight.

Answer 4

ask any police officer, fireman or paramedic..

they'll all tell you a full moon means a busy night... and it never fails either...

so yeah, i'd say so.... alot of people say it doesn't because it can't blah blah.... but the statistics speak for theselves.  

Answer 5

Having a full moon does not affect the number of accidents.

Answer 6

i have always heard there are more accidents during a full moon. I don't know if it's the moon's magical power, or if it's drivers looking up at the moon going "oooh pretty" while on the freeway...