With all the joy and family fun the holidays bring, safety can often slip from your list of top priorities. Don’t let injury and illness put a damper on your holidays this season. Keep your family healthy this year by understanding and avoiding the most common holiday accidents, compiled by our partners at SolvHealth.
The Most Common Holiday Accidents
- The average temperature of oil used in a turkey fryer can reach 350 degrees, which can lead to third degree burns.
- 13,000 people are seen each year for accidents related to holiday decorations.
- 5,800 accidents occur when people fall putting up decorations during the holiday season.
- About 2,000 people every winter are treated for lacerations, sprains, and more, due to tripping over extension cords.
- 50% of Christmas tree fires happen between Dec. 22 and Jan. 5, due to faulty lights, candle decorations, and more.
- 1 in 6 Americans suffer from food-borne illnesses each year.
- Thawing a turkey in an uncontrolled environment can lead to illness.
- Candle-started fires make up 13% of home fires each December.
- Over 100,000 people are treated for scalding accidents per year.
- About 1,062 injuries are due to space heaters each winter.
- Hypothermia can occur at temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
- Over 55,000 people sustain injuries to back, neck, and shoulders each year due to carrying luggage.
- Up to 20 percent of the population gets the flu each year, which begins in the fall and peaks around January or February.
That said, if you do end up needing medical assistance this holiday season, come visit us at one of Mercy Urgent Care’s seven Western North Carolina locations!
