# An insurance study I'd like to see (full moon-related) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483 "2003-08-11T21:34:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483/1 "2003-08-11T21:34:05Z")
This is in reference to **Cecil** ’s column [Do things get crazy when the moon is full](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_337.html) in which the Master observes that with ‘studies’ which seem to demonstrate a full moon effect on behavior “when you look at them closely, they fall apart.” Comes now [Churchill, a UK insurance company](http://www.churchill.co.uk/site/cgi-press/show.cgi?ARTICLE=0161.txt), to claim that not only are auto accidents 14% more frequent during a full moon than during a new one, but that the difference is attributable to [feng shui](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfengshui.html). Specifically, the full moon reflects more yang (insert joke here) and increases aggressiveness. Taking longer than we thought, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483/2 "2003-08-11T22:42:13Z")
Uh huh. Remind me not to take out a policy with those guys. ---
**Author:** ![T.Mehr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@T.Mehr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Mehr)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483/3 "2003-08-12T10:36:26Z")
Probably difficult to chalange these guys statistics, but I’d say the more likely cause is people looking out of their windows ( ‘Oh look at that nice moon today, is it really full?’) instead of looking at the road. “Most people will want to go out, be social and have a good time - just don?t drive!” Good advice (especially from an insurance company) but what’s it got to do with the moon? They’d probably refere to anything if they feel they can reduce the number of DWIs. ---
**Author:** ![Humble\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/47e85d/32.png) [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483/4 "2003-08-13T18:56:27Z")
Whoa. Churchill is one bizarre company. That, or I’m being whoosed by that British humor thing. I give you another press release (it’s on their website but I can’t link directly to it so the link goes to a fishing website that picked up the story): [“Fishing is the most hazardous pastime that we cover.”](http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/news/articles/244.html) “Particularly muscular fish” my eye. You can also buy bobble-head drooling bulldogs (“Churchill,” get it?) on their website and, if an employee suggestion saves them money, they’ll give the employee a “house in Bromley!” Where the hell is Bromley, and is this a good thing? One wonders whether it’s only the pr people having a bit of fun or if their actuaries are also implicated. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483/5 "2003-08-14T01:57:46Z")
The _Times_ of LOndon takes them seriously, with [this](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2096-585983,00.html) article. The article would indicate they have a lot of fun at their job. Envy them. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![weaverba137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/94ad74/32.png) [@weaverba137](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/weaverba137)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483/6 "2003-08-14T21:03:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by T. Mehr \* > **’Oh look at that nice moon today, is it really full?'** Yes, people really do this. I have personally practiced drivers-side astronomy, head out the window, driving down the freeway, with a car full of friends, during a lunar eclipse. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bad_Astronomer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483/7 "2003-08-16T01:13:52Z")
It’s a fact that more than 90% of all murders occur within a week of the new or full Moon. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-insurance-study-id-like-to-see-full-moon-related/194483/8 "2003-08-16T02:52:38Z")
Wouldn’t that be more like 95%, since the lunar cycle is 29.53 days long? 28 / 29.53 x 100 = 94.8%