.1912091541550.jpg)
Most people associate the holidays with winter weather, family gatherings, festive decorations, and cheerful parties. While each of those activities can be great fun, it’s easy to forget they can be dangerous as well.
According to the National Safety Council, some of the most common hazards during the holidays include car accidents, electrocution, and burns. Many of these accidents have to do with decorating incidents or unsupervised fire hazards, while the spike in winter car accidents can be chalked up to cold weather and an increased number of drunk drivers. To learn more about these potential dangers, and how to keep yourself and your family safe, read below:
Car Accidents
Each year, statistics tell us that drunk driving accidents increase around holidays, including the winter holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Eve. What’s the reason for this increase in drunk drivers? Well, on holidays people tend to gather with family and friends, which can lead to a cocktail or two, or a glass of wine. However, if someone drinks more than they’d planned to while at a party or gathering, and they do not take the necessary measures to secure a safe ride home, they could wind up behind the wheel. As a result, their actions could harm others on the road.
Besides drunk driving, the cold weather is also a serious factor in winter car accidents. In colder parts of the U.S, winter weather means icy roads, blinding blizzards, and strong winds. This poor weather can easily lead to an increase in accidents around the holidays.
To avoid a potentially deadly car accident this holiday season, make sure you drive cautiously in bad weather, and always drive defensively on holidays. If you can, avoid driving on particularly popular days, like New Year’s Eve.
Electrocution
Some holiday traditions require a substantial amount of power, and if you aren’t careful, your Christmas tree lights or your light-up outdoor décor could end up causing an electrocution injury. Hanging lights on the exterior of your home or in nearby trees can be beautiful, but if you slip or fall while handling live power cords, you could end up with serious electrocution injuries. To avoid any dangerous situations, seek professional help when hanging exterior lights, or avoid working with live lights if you do it yourself. When using other types of electronic décor, make sure you use caution and buy surge protectors to avoid power issues.
Burns
Much like electrocution injuries, burn injuries during the holidays are often associated with specific types of décor. As the weather cools off, you might gather around a cozy fire, light candles, or put lights on your Christmas tree. Unfortunately, some Christmas lights might become hot to the touch and could spark a fire with a dry Christmas tree, or unsupervised candles could ignite nearby materials and start a house fire. While you certainly shouldn’t avoid your holiday traditions in order to stay safe, purchasing heat-resistant lights, using an artificial tree, and keeping candles away from loose materials can go a long way to ensure your family’s safety.
Unfortunately, even if you do everything right, sometimes accidents do happen. If you find yourself coping with an injury caused by a defective product, a dangerous driver, or some other negligent party, our firm can help.
Contact Kershaw Talley Barlow to discuss your holiday injury case with our experienced attorneys.