Holiday Safety Tips to Prevent Personal Injuries

The holiday season has arrived once again. This means increased traveling, gift buying, and household decorations. To better ensure your safety this season, the attorneys at Biesterveld & Crook, LLC created a list of holiday safety tips.

Yuletide Risks and Ways to Prevent Them

Decorative Dangers

Trees, garland, candles, lights, and stockings are just some of the holiday decorations families display during the Christmas season. For those who purchase real trees, it is strongly recommended that trees be kept well-watered to avoid dryness. Dry trees can lead to increased risk of fires. Both real and artificial trees have some risk of causing a fire though, as prolonged periods of time with tree lights being kept on can be a fire hazard risk. Shutting lights off when going to bed or keeping the lights on a timer can provide peace of mind in avoiding these hazardous scenarios.

The same can be said for lights displayed throughout other portions of the home, both interior and exterior. Timers can be used to eliminate the worry of remembering to shut them off. LED lights are also recommended, as they don’t give off as much heat, therefore reducing risk of igniting a fire.

Products Liability

Injuries caused by faulty decorations are rare, but they can happen. In the event that lights, timers, or other festive adornments malfunction and result in injuries or loss of property, contact a personal injury attorney to learn about your options.

During the season of gift giving, many toys and electronics are also purchased and tested out. Personal injury attorneys can assist if these products are defective and cause injury to you or one of your loved ones.

How to Avoid a Vehicle Collision Amidst Increased Traffic

Reckless Driving Crashes

As people rush around to finish their holiday shopping and make it to programs and parties on time, patience may be thin for drivers. This can lead to reckless driving and careless accidents. Although no driver can control what others do on the road, it’s important to be vigilant and do all that you can to avoid these collisions.

Drunk and/or Distracted Driving

When driving to holiday parties, drivers can be tempted to use cellular devices to solidify plans and notify others of their whereabouts. Biesterveld & Crook, LLC recommends putting down cell phones, as they present additional distractions that can lead to motor vehicle wrecks. Departing holiday parties and gatherings can lead to dangerous situations as well, as some may be intoxicated. Driving sober and utilizing ride share apps and services are the best ways to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones.

Weathering Through Winter Weather

Ice, sleet, and snow can cause additional factors when traveling for the holidays. It is encouraged that travelers avoid driving when conditions worsen, but this is not always possible. Reducing speeds and increasing distance between the vehicle(s) in front of you can minimize the likelihood of sliding into a crash.

Special Thanks from Biesterveld & Crook, LLC

As this is our last blog for the year, the attorneys at Biesterveld & Crook, LLC thank those who took the time to read our blogs in 2018. We look forward to providing more informative content in 2019 to better serve our clients and those who wish to learn more about personal injury related topics. As always, our firm offers free consultations for those injured in personal injury accidents this holiday season. To contact our firm, call or click here. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!