The holidays are quickly approaching. Families gather round, everyone decorates their homes and partakes in a vast array of holiday festivities. However, this is also the time of year when injuries can become more prevalent.
Here are some tips to avoid sustaining injury this holiday season:
Drink Responsibly
Although it is important to drink responsibly every day of the year, the holidays see an incredible surge of DUI arrests. Holiday parties, Thanksgiving dinners offer endless alcoholic spirits to help bring in the spirit. Yet sometimes people get carried away in the yule tide celebrations and make bad choices.
If you decide to engage in drinking alcohol this season, use a rideshare service, cab, or a designated driver to ensure you get home safely. You will also save a fortune in DUI penalties!
Handle Decorations with Care
Decorating for the holidays is an age-old tradition we enjoy with our families; it really brings the spirit alive! However, decorations come with their own inherent risks. Some decorations are not as harmless as they may appear.
Hanging Christmas lights serves as a dangerous conduit for electrical and house fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) suggests 30% of all house fires happen throughout December and January. They further indicate around 5,800 people will be treated each year for injuries sustained after falling from decorating their home.
If you are going to decorate your home this year, take proper precautions. Assure your ladder is on a stable surface, check extension cords for fraying wires, ensure all lights light up, and do not overload outlets with too many plugs.
Practice Proper Fire Safety
The Christmas tree is the most prominent feature of holiday decorating. However, according to NIST, there are over 200 Christmas tree fires each year. Here’s a list of tips to prevent Christmas tree fires:
- Replace all broken bulbs
- Check all light strings meticulously for water damage or fraying
- Do not exceed number of lights that can be connected with one another
- Do not place extension cords directly under the tree
- Do not place candles, heaters, or any other heat source near the tree
- Select the freshest tree available
- Water the fresh cut tree stump every day to ensure proper hydration
Watch Your Surroundings
Outdoor accidents occur more frequently in the winter months due to weather patterns. Ice, sleet, and snow may be present on sidewalks, walkways, and roads. Make sure to utilize handrails, if available, wear correct winter wear and shoes, drive with more caution, and continually salt the sidewalks and driveways when snow is present.
Injured this Holiday?
Did you or a loved one suffer an injury this holiday season? Call Mr. David Klink, a top personal injury attorney in Arizona. If you were injured due to the negligence of someone else or a faulty product, you may have a legal claim.
Call Mr. Klink today to discuss your legal options!
