Thanksgiving poses serious injury risks from car accidents, house fires, cooking burns and cuts, slip-and-falls, and heart attacks. Unfortunately, many of these injuries result in death for thousands of Americans each year.
Thanksgiving Dangers
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year thousands of people end up in hospital emergency rooms due to injuries on Thanksgiving Day. Injuries caused by car crashes, kitchen fires, and burns, cuts from carving the turkey, falls from spilled liquids and icy sidewalks, and sudden heart attacks and strokes happen every Thanksgiving across the country. Thanksgiving injuries range from minor burns and cuts to fatal car collisions and pool drownings.
Dangerous Driving
National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) accident reports show that Thanksgiving Day is the most dangerous driving day of the year. Cold weather conditions that put snow and ice on the roads, speeding drivers, and drunk motorists cause thousands of fatal car accidents each year.
Also, before backing out of a driveway, always make sure it’s clear of all people and animals. Small children tend to be the victims of these horrible accidents as they can be very unpredictable in their actions.
Kitchen Fires and Burns
Thanksgiving is about sitting down to dinner with family and friends, so cooking is often the main focus. Preparing and cooking a huge turkey or ham, a variety of side dishes, and desserts often lead to grease fires in the kitchen and serious burns. When cooking on outdoor gas grills or deep frying a turkey, explosions, and fires often cause severe burns and deaths.
Carving the Turkey
The annual Thanksgiving ritual of carving the turkey sends many people to the hospital with serious cuts each year. Thanksgiving meals usually require a lot of chopping of fresh vegetables and fruits, so safety is key in the kitchen. For safety, only experienced carvers and cooks should handle sharp knives while preparing Thanksgiving meals.
Slip-and-Falls
In certain regions of Arizona, Thanksgiving usually brings cold temperatures, freezing rains, and snow and ice. Streets and sidewalks are can oftentimes be covered in snow or ice, so slip-and-fall accidents commonly account for a variety of injuries including sprains, fractures, and broken bones, back and neck injuries, and head trauma.
Pool Drownings
With the vast number of pools in Arizona, drowning is always a risk, but with the added distractions of cooking and out-of-town guests, that risk can be greatly increased, especially with little children. Always make sure your doors and pool gates are locked and that there is someone to keep the children occupied and out of harm’s way.
If you or a loved one experiences a Thanksgiving Day related injury, contact the AZ Hometown Lawyers for a Free Consultation. Call (602) 495-1005 or use the Contact form on our site. We have the skill and experience needed to aggressively represent you.
Photo Credit: “Deep Fried Turkey” by Hagleitner is licensed under CC BY 2.0
