November 28th is just right around the corner, along with turkey, pumpkin pie and other beloved Thanksgiving traditions. But did you know that this holiday holds the title for “Most Dangerous U.S. Holiday”? A Forbes article revealed that as many as 500 fatal traffic accidents throughout the nation take place on Thanksgiving day alone, surpassing even holidays like New Years and 4th of July according to some studies.
While a large number of Thanksgiving accidents take place on the road, plenty of others happen in the home. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has issued multiple warnings and public service announcements to inform the public of dangers such as turkey fryers, unattended children and various kitchen hazards. AMA Law wants you and your family to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving this year, so below we’ve detailed some important safety tips.
THANKSGIVING DRIVING SAFETY TIPS
Many Americans travel on Thanksgiving. If you’re one of the many who will be making the trek to a friend or family member’s house, these driving safety tips are for you.
Plan your route ahead of time. Many people who drive on Thanksgiving Day are unfamiliar with the roads. Even looking at your GPS screen can be dangerous, as it takes your eyes off of the road. Make sure that, before you leave, you plan out and are familiar with the directions.
Take steps to avoid drowsy driving. Many people who travel on Thanksgiving end up driving back home late at night. If at all possible, make plans to stay with friends or family overnight so you aren’t driving drowsy. If you do have to drive home late at night, it can be helpful to have another person in the car to talk to, or who you can switch off driving with.
Use a designated driver, or wait a few hours before driving home after drinks. Many people enjoy a few drinks on Thanksgiving, so if you’re planning on partaking, make sure you leave enough time between your last drink and when you drive home. Or better yet, have someone else who hasn’t been drinking drive you home.
When planning when you should leave, allot time for traffic and unexpected stops. Many Thanksgiving collisions happen because drivers are speeding or driving impatiently. Holiday traffic can test anyone’s patience, so to avoid speeding and aggressive driving this holiday, make sure to allot enough driving time to accommodate for traffic and other unexpected delays.
THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIPS FOR THE HOME
Although Thanksgiving is known as the nation’s dangerous holiday for driving, plenty of accidents happen inside of people’s homes. Many of them involve cooking. If you’re having people over to your home for the holiday, these safety tips are for you:
Don’t leave food cooking unattended. If you have things cooking on your stovetop, in your oven or elsewhere in your kitchen, be sure to keep a close eye on them. Many kitchen fires ignite and grow into uncontrollable fires because food was left cooking in the kitchen unattended.
Supervise children while they’re in the kitchen. Keep a close eye on children, especially when they’re in the kitchen. Unattended children can burn themselves on hot surfaces and boiling liquids, cut themselves on knives and other utensils laying around, and ingest hazardous materials.
Check your smoke detectors. Making sure you have a working smoke detector is an important preventative measure to take, especially on Thanksgiving when multiple food items are cooking all at once.
If you use a gas-fueled turkey fryer, do so with caution. Fried turkey has increased in popularity over the years, and so have the number of turkey fryer accidents. If you do use a turkey fryer this Thanksgiving, only use it outside and leave plenty of distance between it and your home. Closely follow directions and heed warning labels.
If you or someone you love is injured this Thanksgiving, contact AMA Law. We represent accident victims injured through wrongful or careless actions.