Five ways to avoid injury this Christmas

December is here and all around us is talk of Christmas, presents and festive cheer, but did you know that hospital admissions increase this time of year?  Over the coming weeks, more than 80,000 people will be admitted to hospital so here Molly Puntis, Claims Handler in the Personal Injury team, gives some top tips about how you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe this holiday season.

Designated drivers

A big part of the Christmas period is the parties; work parties, family parties, and normally alcohol is involved in the mix.  UK Driving Statistics show that 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive collisions and nearly 17% of all deaths on the road involve drivers who were over the legal alcohol limit.

If you are going to a party where you know you’ll be drinking, or you’re looking forward to enjoying some festive tipples on the big day itself, make sure you have planned a way home that does not involve you getting behind the wheel.  If you are the designated driver do not be tempted as just one drink can affect your ability to judge hazards.  Police across Hampshire and Dorset are conducting more spot checks this time of year so you could risk losing your licence, or even worse you could cause a fatal accident.

Keep things tidy at Christmas

Seeing family and friends over Christmas is important so there are always more people in your home, as well as more things to fall over, such as presents, extra furniture or luggage.  Ensure your stairs are kept free from clutter and that they are well lit, and that any rubbish or toys not being played with are kept out of the way.

Beware of the bargains

With so many presents to buy it can be tempting to look for a bargain, but this is prime time for counterfeit products to hit circulation.  In 2014, £22billion was forecast to be spent over Christmas, but £90million of that was expected to go on counterfeit gifts according to the Trading Standards Institute.  Electrical Safety First claim that half of all house fires are caused by faulty equipment so ensure you purchase any toys or other electrical equipment from a reputable shop.  Make-up and alcohol can also be tampered with to bring production costs down, leading to injuries such as chemical burns. 

As well as ensuring you purchase products from appropriate suppliers, you must also ensure they are used correctly.  We all remember growing up as children, opening the toy you asked Santa for and you just couldn’t wait for the batteries to be added, or to read the instructions.  This however is the cause of a number of accidents as toys are misused or assembled using incorrect tools.  You should always make sure you are prepared with enough batteries for toys that may need them so you’re not tempted to remove them from other places such as smoke alarms.

Beware of Christmas decorations

Getting into the festive mood is always aided by our decorations, putting the Christmas tree up and displaying all the lovely Christmas cards, but appropriate caution must be taken.  According to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 1,000 people are injured by their Christmas tree every year, whether it’s hanging the decorations at the top of the tree, or it toppling over.  Make sure you use the proper equipment if anything is out of reach such as a step ladder; this also applies when putting up other decorations around your home.  Keep an eye on any decorations that can fall off the tree and present a choking hazard to young children. 

RoSPA also report that 350 people a year are injured by their lights whether that is tripping over them, children swallowing bulbs or suffering electric shocks or burns.  Always make sure you test the lights before putting them on the tree or around our house, and don’t overload sockets which can cause fires. 

The main attraction; Christmas dinner

For some the Christmas dinner is the focal point of their Christmas Day and many will spend a great deal of time and money in the preparation.  It’s important then that some key considerations are made when prepping as with so much food space can be limited in the kitchen:

• Make sure children are kept away from pots and pans on the stove and that handles are turned away.
• Ensure you are careful of boiling water or hot fat
• Do not leave sharp knives where they can be readily accessed.
• Make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare and cook everything to avoid the risk of salmonella poisoning.

Molly concludes, “Of course, Christmas is the time for celebrations and festive cheer, but it can also be a time of injury.  Make sure you enjoy your Christmas with your loved ones and use our tips to help you stay safe.”

If you’d like to find out more about avoiding accidents in the home, or you’ve had an accident and want advice on making a claim, you can contact Molly or the other members of the Personal Injury Team on 0800 91 92 30 or visit their section of the website here.

ENDS

This is for information purposes only and is no substitute for, and should not be interpreted as, legal advice.  All content was correct at the time of publishing and we cannot be held responsible for any changes that may invalidate this article.