The Holiday Season is in full swing and Christmas is right around the corner. The season is marked by visiting with family, sharing delicious meals, giving and receiving gifts—it’s one festive activity after the next!

Unfortunately, just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean accidents won’t happen. In fact, some of the activities you’ll undoubtedly be participating in may be riskier to your health and safety than you think. Watch out for these five holiday personal injury risks this year and stay safe!

#1: Burns And Holiday Fires 

The increase of shared home-cooked meals during the holidays brings out the chef in all of us, even those accident-prone cousins who should probably just avoid the kitchen altogether. Keep plenty of oven mitts around and watch out for hot plates and surfaces. Kitchen burns can and will happen! 

In addition to culinary-related burns, be mindful of all of your holiday decorations and lights. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that each year fires during the holiday season injure more than 1,600 people and kill more than 400. These fires are estimated to cause around $900 million in damages. Avoid placing your Christmas tree near furnaces or fireplaces and look for decorations that are marked as non-flammable.  

#2: Driving Distracted 

Whether it’s a neighbor’s overdone Christmas decorations, your toddler niece screaming in the back seat, or a text from your mother-in-law, keep your eyes on the road! Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car wrecks. Due to the hustle and bustle of the holidays, there will only be more distractions that present themselves—stay focused behind the wheel. 

#3: Winter Driving Conditions 

Shorter daylight hours, increased traffic on the roads, and adverse weather conditions like rain, sleet, snow, or ice all work together to make driving during this season particularly challenging. The decreased visibility and increased nasty weather can make for a lethal combination. This is true for when you’re driving or walking across the road as a pedestrian. When you drive, stick to the major roads and avoid going out in bad conditions. For pedestrians, only cross at designated crosswalks, and be sure to check twice for oncoming traffic. 

#4: Shopping Mayhem 

It’s likely that you’ll have to spend some time this year out and about shopping for the best deals for your holiday gifts. You aren’t alone. Every year malls and shopping centers are overrun with frantic customers looking to snatch the perfect gift at the best price. Even during a pandemic, this is a possibility. Tragically, stories make headlines every year of shoppers being trampled or stampeded. Avoid shopping centers or malls at the busiest times—no bargain is worth putting your safety at risk. Plus, you don’t have to change out of your pajamas when you shop online!

#5: Present-opening Accidents 

We’ve all seen it or done it ourselves. You get a present that seems nearly impossible to open, your dad tosses you his pocket knife, and then you accidentally slice your hand trying to open your new gift. It happens more often than you think. Whether it’s a pocket knife, box cutters, or just the kitchen scissors, we get too excited trying to open our presents and an accident ensues. Be extremely careful when using blades to open presents.

The moral of the story is: enjoy the holiday season this year, know what problematic activities to look out for, and stay safe! Happy holidays from all of us here at Wettermark Keith!

Questions? 

Wettermark Keith has been fighting (and winning) for our clients for nearly twenty years. Our personal injury attorney staff has decades of combined experience. If you or someone you know is injured, contact Wettermark Keith for a free consultation, and let us fight for you!