The season of wintry weather and family gatherings brings with it a heightened risk of holiday injuries. Snowy slips, trips, and falls, turkey-frying fire mishaps, and weather or alcohol-related car accidents all increase over the holidays.
Common Holiday Injuries
In our experience, slips, fires, traveling, and pets have all been at the center of holiday injuries. Have a happy and safe holiday season with these safety tips from the office of Worcester personal injury attorney Peter Ventura.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Here in Worcester, we’re just a few weeks away from the cold and snowy weather. Left unchecked, snowy sidewalks and icy steps are almost certain to cause a slip or fall. Before you invite family and friends over for holiday gatherings this year, sweep, shovel, or snowblow a safe pathway for your guests. In addition:
- Apply ice melt to walkways before it snows
- Use the correct ladder when hanging lights
- Lift with your legs, not your back, when shoveling
Fires
According to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, more house fires occur on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year. Follow these tips to reduce the risk of holiday injuries or property damage due to fire this holiday season:
- Never leave cookware unattended
- Keep children and pets out of cooking areas
- Fry turkeys outdoors, away from the house and garage
- Before frying, completely thaw and thoroughly dry your turkey, as any ice could cause oil to splatter
- Keep a pot lid or cookie sheet nearby to extinguish grease fires
- If oven or microwave contents catch fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Conduct annual furnace maintenance, and replace filters regularly
- Don’t drive after consuming alcohol, and encourage guests to do the same
- Plan road trip activities to occupy the kids and put your phone away to limit distractions while driving
- Avoid broadcasting your holiday travel plans on social media, as you could be informing burglars that your home will be unoccupied
- Be diligent about locking your doors, and prepare spare keys for house guests so they can lock up, as well
- Plan travel around storms
- Keep your gas tank full and store an emergency kit in your car
- Secure animals in a crate or bedroom while guests are over
- Never leave pets in a cold car
- Keep pets away from open flame
- Store people food and holiday treats out of reach of pets
Travel
Hazardous winter weather and increased congestion on the roads over the holidays both contribute to a greater chance of car accidents. In addition, gifts or other unsecured valuables could make your home a target for burglary during holiday travel.
Consider these recommendations to protect yourself while traveling:
- Don’t drive after consuming alcohol, and encourage guests to do the same
- Plan road trip activities to occupy the kids and put your phone away to limit distractions while driving
- Avoid broadcasting your holiday travel plans on social media, as you could be informing burglars that your home will be unoccupied
- Be diligent about locking your doors, and prepare spare keys for house guests so they can lock up, as well
- Plan travel around storms
- Keep your gas tank full and store an emergency kit in your car
Pets
Hazardous winter weather and increased congestion on the roads over the holidays both contribute to a greater chance of car accidents. In addition, gifts or other unsecured valuables could make your home a target for burglary during holiday travel.
Consider these recommendations to protect yourself while traveling:
- Don’t drive after consuming alcohol, and encourage guests to do the same
- Plan road trip activities to occupy the kids and put your phone away to limit distractions while driving
- Avoid broadcasting your holiday travel plans on social media, as you could be informing burglars that your home will be unoccupied
- Be diligent about locking your doors, and prepare spare keys for house guests so they can lock up, as well
- Plan travel around storms
- Keep your gas tank full and store an emergency kit in your car
Have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season from Personal Injury Lawyer Peter Ventura
Of course, we hope you don’t need our services this holiday season. But should you or a loved one become injured over the holidays, Peter Ventura, located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is here to help you. In his over 25 years of trial experience, Attorney Ventura has won millions of dollars to assist accident victims and their families.
From everyone at the office of Peter Ventura, attorney at law, we wish you a happy and safe holiday season!
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