The holidays are an exciting time of year. There are many fun and memorable holiday activities to take part in. However, the holidays can also result in an increased number of car accidents, another type of personal injury mishap.
How do accidents occur during the holiday season?
Throughout the holiday season, the activities you engage in will change. You’ll find yourself doing things that you wouldn’t do throughout other times of the year. Unfortunately, these changes in routine may lead to a personal injury or car accident.
- While it can be fun to decorate your home for the holiday season, climbing on ladders and chairs can lead to a personal injury. All it takes is an uneven surface, a defect in the ladder’s design, or simply reaching too far. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that falls surpass car accidents as the leading cause of injury during the holiday season.
- Many people enjoy engaging in winter sports (e.g., snowboarding, sledding, skiing) at this time of the year. Unfortunately, there’s an inherent risk factor involved with all sports. Whether your injuries are caused by crowded conditions or defective equipment, you’ll need time to heal, which means things like work and family plans will be disrupted.
- Throughout the holiday season, drunk drivers cause many car accidents. Since it’s illegal to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, anyone caught doing so is held criminally and civilly liable. If you’re injured in such a car accident this holiday season, you may be able to receive money for your personal injury, emotional suffering, and any financial losses that resulted from the crash.
- Many people visit Florida throughout the year but especially during the holiday season, and you’ll find people vacationing in the sun. While these people are welcomed in our community, the unfortunate fact is that they may lead to an increase in accidents because they’re unfamiliar with the area or confused about our laws.
How can you avoid having an accident this holiday season?
While it’s best to take steps to avoid having an accident this holiday season, the best-laid plans of mice and men often fail. Since you can’t avoid every accident from ever happening, an ounce of prevention is important here. There are several things you can do that’ll minimize your chances of being involved in an accident throughout the holidays. These things include:
- Make sure that anything you use (e.g., sporting equipment, ladders, vehicles) is in good condition prior to using it. If something is broken, take the time to properly fix or replace it before using it.
- Be on the lookout for things like water and ice. Spilled water on a sidewalk can result in you falling. Therefore, it’s important to watch for water whether you’re out and about, hanging holiday decorations, or driving your vehicle.
- Another common reason that people get injured is due to poor lighting. It’s important to make sure that you use plenty of lighting whenever and wherever possible. When you find yourself in a poorly lit area where it is beyond your control how much lighting is there, make sure to use extra caution.
What should I do if I suffer a personal injury this holiday season?
If you’ve had a personal injury or been in a car accident this holiday season, make sure to reach out to us at the Blenner Law Group in Palm Harbor, FL. While you want to do everything to keep yourself safe, we understand that accidents still happen regardless of the time of year it is. Therefore, you should be prepared for them and keep our number close by for when you need us.
Picture Credit: VistaCreate