Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to get together with friends, family, and neighbors and share food, drink, and be thankful for all the blessings of the year. This is also a time where injuries can arise easily, so our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton have compiled a list of the most common holiday accidents so that you can be prepared and take appropriate precautions.
Car Accidents
According to a report from the National Safety Council, the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday period of Wednesday, November 23-Sunday, November 27 will see an estimated 518 road deaths. If this estimate holds true, this year will be the most Thanksgiving traffic fatalities since 2007. The Thanksgiving holiday sees an increase in crashes and fatalities due to increased congestion on the roads as many people are travelling at the same time and alcohol consumption.
Follow these tips to avoid a car crash this Thanksgiving holiday period:
- Travel at the posted speed limit
- Avoid distractions
- Never text while driving
- Wear your seatbelt properly no matter how short the distance you are travelling
Fires and Burns
Fires and cooking accidents are very common during the holidays. The biggest reason for fires on Thanksgiving can be traced back to unattended cooking. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that 49% of all home fires and 42% of all home fire injuries can be linked to cooking mishaps Cooking accidents are also responsible for 20% of all home fire deaths.
Here are top cooking safety tips to remember this Thanksgiving:
- Turkey fryers that use cooking oil are not safe and can cause devastating burn injuries. Consider using an infrared fryer, air fryer, or electric turkey fryer if you wish to “fry” your own turkey. You can also purchase a store-bought fried turkey or one from your restaurant of choice.
- When cooking on a stove top, stay in the kitchen to keep an eye on the food.
- Stay in your home when cooking a turkey, and be sure to check on it often.
- Keep children away from stoves, hot food, and hot liquids.
- Make sure knives are kept out of reach of children.
- Do not leave lit candles unattended.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are in working condition. You can test them by pushing the test button.
Slip and Falls and Trip and Falls
The grocery stores are busy during the Thanksgiving holiday season. You can easily suffer a slip and fall or trip and fall injury at the grocery store grabbing the necessary items to prepare your feast. Wet floors, uneven surfaces, poor lighting, clutter, and more can all lead to grocery store slip and fall accidents. Parking lots filled with cars and busy shoppers can also lead to serious injuries that require medical attention. You can also suffer and slip and fall or trip and fall accident at your own home, friend’s house, or relative’s home this Thanksgiving, so make sure floors stay clean and dry and are not cluttered with the kid’s toys are other belongings that could be hazards.
Food Poisoning
Thanksgiving revolves around turkey and other food items – and when a turkey or other meat is handled improperly then food poisoning can happen quite easily. When other food items are left at room temperature for too long, they can also develop bacteria. To prevent food poisoning, make sure you cook all food thoroughly and check the temperature to ensure it is safe to consume. You also want to throw out any foods that have been sitting out for more than two hours, per the USDA. Reheating something that has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours will not be safe from bacteria.
Whittel & Melton Wishes You a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving! Continue reading