Most Common Christmas Accidents

Posted in Health Insurance

December 9th, 2009

Christmas and harsh winter weather have always been a dangerous duo. The season is wrought with injury, accidents and harsh conditions. But if your goal is to keep the winter season jolly, you need to take precautions and avoid getting hurt while preparing for the holidays.

Worst Christmas Accidents

Here is a list of the most common ways to get hurt while preparing for Christmas.

• Christmas Trees: Sure they are pretty and can really spruce up your home for the holiday, but Christmas Tree fires account for 200 deaths annually. These fatal accidents can be avoided by making sure the tree stays moist (do not water when lights are plugged in), avoiding frayed light strands and keeping the tree away from heat sources and open flames.
• Decking the Halls: Even if you are tempted to climb up a ladder and deck your halls with the best and brightest, please do not attempt it alone. Stringing up lights is more strenuous than it seems, so don’t attempt it if you’re not in optimal health. Having a partner who can hand you items and hold your ladder steady is also a great idea.
• Christmas Decor: Those with little ones or pets need to ensure that their house is safe for all. Shiny, low-hanging ornaments can be a choking hazard, Poinsettia’s are toxic to crittersand a long strand of lights can be accidentally tugged, resulting in a toppled tree and possible accident.
• Snow Fall: Although it may seem magical when cascading down from the clouds, snow can actually be quite dangerous. Too much of it on an improperly cared for roof may cause the roof to collapse by accident, while shoveling drives and pathways can contribute to your risk of “heart attacks, back strain and muscle soreness.
• Cooking: When the holidays come round, there is nothing like teaching the little one’s the secret behind grandma’s favorite holiday recipes. Over 10,000 pediatric burn injuries occur annually with a great number occurring during winter.
• Sleigh Guiding: You need to be especially cautious regarding drinking and driving during the holidays. If after a dozen shots, Uncle Bernie still insists he is perfectly fine to drive himself home, take his keys and call him a cab asfatal drunk driving accidents spike during the Christmas holidays.

Make sure that you can prevent these accidents from happening by being especially careful. You’ll avoid the ER and any associated costs for medical treatment.