The holiday season fills our days with fun and excitement, creating memories that last a lifetime. It’s a time to feel warm, cozy and safe at home. Avoid creating the wrong kind of holiday moments by being aware of these potential risks.
Top 5 Most Common Holiday Injuries:
- Decorating Risks:
- Every year, the decorations are dug out from garages and attics to fill neighborhoods and cities with festive color and cheer. To get some of those memorable displays set up, people sometimes take chances erecting them, leading to falls and emergency room visits before the holidays have really begun. To avoid being a statistic, check your equipment before you start to work. Make sure your ladder is secure, and don’t climb up onto your roof when it’s wet or covered in snow. Be mindful of the dangers inside, as well. Don’t continue using old lights that may have an electrical short; this could easily start a fire, especially around a dry Christmas tree.
- Dietary Hazards:
- Holiday meals mean a lot of wonderful seasonal food. It also can lead to people taking a serving (or two) too many. This kind of over-indulging leads to several issues, including indigestion and high blood pressure. You will also likely gain weight. Be mindful of what you eat and how much.
- Too Much Fun:
- Holidays mean parties, and those often mean alcoholic beverages. Be mindful of how much you drink, especially when driving in inclement weather. Even if you are under the legal limit, bad weather requires your senses to be at peak condition when driving. Additionally, be alert to your stress levels, as over-indulgences can lead to more serious conditions that may send you to the ER, like an atrial fibrillation.
- Dangerous Traveling:
- Too many people take risks during the holidays in an effort to get to their friends and family. People driving recklessly, drivers on the road after a drink, and bad weather can create a perfect storm for travelers. If you’re about to go on a trip be prepared, make sure you’ve had plenty of sleep, that your car is ready for the trip, and that you’ve studied the weather. Make sure you bring snacks and warm clothes in the event that the weather deteriorates and becomes cold and nasty. If you’re traveling by public transportation to your destination, give yourself extra time to get to your transportation choice.
- Illness:
- Flu season strikes just as the holiday season is about to unfold. Being out among crowds shopping, commuting to work, or traveling to see family exposes you to more germs, increasing your risk of catching the flu. Practice hygienic behavior: wash your hands often, don’t touch railings, wear gloves, avoid touching your face until your hands are clean or sanitized, and be mindful of spreading your own germs to others. Pay extra attention to your children, as they are prime germ carriers. Make sure you and everyone in your family gets a flu shot.
This list is by no means exhaustive. Keep the holiday stories you will be telling for years to come happy ones by being smart when decorating, eating, partying, or traveling. Take care of yourself so you can enjoy the holidays for many years to come. If you suffered injuries that were caused because of someone else’s negligence, don’t hesitate to contact our Oakland personal injury attorneys to get a peace of mind and ask any questions you need answered.
Sources:
https://lifehacker.com/the-most-common-holiday-injuries-and-how-to-avoid-them-1790272397
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2951273/
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html