It’s the most wonderful, and dangerous, time of the year. The
holidays are filled with decorations, festivities, and travelling, but
unfortunately this results in all kinds of accidents. These accidents can range
from cooking/burn injuries to dog bites from visiting relatives, to car
accidents. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says there are about 250
injuries a day during the holiday season and about 13,000 patients are seen
each year for accidents related to the holiday/winter season.
The most common type of injury around the holidays is from
car accidents. People are attending holiday parties and are more likely to be
intoxicated before getting back on the road. Others are traveling long distances
and may feel fatigue from driving or be unfamiliar with the area, increasing
the chance of an accident. The fact that so many people are travelling at the
same time means there are more cars on the road. The more cars there are, the
more likely it is for accidents to occur. December has one of the highest rates
for traffic accidents in the year.
Aside from car accidents, many house and shopping-related
incidents are reported during the holiday season. Falling merchandise injuries
can occur when store employees don’t stack products or boxes properly or stack
them too high, which can fall on customers who are shopping.
Injuries from putting up holiday decorations also tend to
bring people to the hospital each year. Many accidents (about 5,800) are
reported each year where people fall from ladders while hanging Christmas
lights and hurt their head or neck. About 2,000 people every winter are treated
for lacerations, sprains, and other injuries due to tripping over extension
cords.
The number of fires also goes up during the fall/winter
season. Thanksgiving is the day where the most fires in the U.S. occur with
4,000 fires occurring annually. Christmas season causes many fires as well,
though not as much as Thanksgiving. Christmas-related fires may not just be due
to cooking but to Christmas trees or space heaters. Many fires that occur during the holiday
season are reported that the Christmas tree was the first object to ignite on
fire. Candle-related fires reported from 2009 through 2011 have an estimated
number of 70 deaths, 680 injuries and $308 million in property loss.
Many people don’t realize how common these accidents are
until it unexpectedly happens to them. The holidays are a time for happiness,
but it’s so easy for the slightest thing to go wrong and ruin a good time. Always
be careful when putting up holiday decorations, make sure you frequently water
your tree, and always drive and travel safe.
If
you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor,
Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield,
Waterford or any other city in Michigan, make sure to contact Motor City
Accident Attorneys by calling 1-800-411-PAIN. Motor City Accident Attorneys
know how stressful a car accident can be and want to help you get back on your
feet. They will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the
compensation you deserve, according to your specific case. Make sure to follow
Motor City Accident Attorneys on Twitter (@MCAccidentAtty) and Facebook. Join
the conversation by using #MCAA.
