“‘Tis the season to be jolly”—and did you know that it’s also the season for a variety of holiday accidents? Just as “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” car crashes, falls, burns, and stress-related heart attacks displace our celebrations. According to statistics, 40% of annual pedestrian accidents happen during the holidays. And decking the halls can become downright dangerous if we’re not careful. So here’s a quick heads up from your local urgent care clinic to keep you safe this holiday season!
Holiday-related fires injure over 1000 people annually. Christmas trees cause over 200 fires each year and candles are the culprit in many of those fires. Space heater burns and burns acquired while cooking multiply at this time of year. Holiday decorating accidents send over 1200 people to their local health care facility. Falls due to inclement weather and tripping over holiday decorations and wiring add numbers to the accident tally. Car accidents occur as, “bearing gifts, we traverse afar” “in a winter wonderland.” And packing up all those gifts presents another risk—injuries due to lifting presents and carrying luggage are part of the mix.
As if it wasn’t enough, we must also watch what we eat in order to guard against weight gain through all the festivities. And food-borne illnesses require our attention as well so beware the leftovers. And it isn’t just calories that must be watched. Holiday plants that are poisonous to children and pets include poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly berries.
Winter sports also contribute a share in the injury numbers. Did you know that 35,000 sledding accidents are recorded every winter? Treatments ranging from cut wounds to skull fractures factor into these winter injury statistics.
As your local emergency physicians, Physicians Urgent Care wants to remind you that most holiday accidents occur when our attention is diverted from what we’re doing. Avoiding distractions and being aware of your surroundings can help to avoid mishaps and related injuries. If you do need medical attention the season, your Franklin Urgent Care facility is here to take care of you. We wish you and yours safety, peace and joy this season, and a happy New Year!