While everyone may look forward to the holidays as the time for quality time with family, relaxing vacations from work and parties to celebrate the past year, the holiday season is also the time of a lot of unexpected risks and dangers.
People are excited and coming together, everyone is traveling, and sometimes people drink to excess. For a wide variety of reasons, the end of the year is a particularly dangerous time, and it’s not unusual for people to end up with at least one emergency medical visit before the season is over.
Take some precautions to ensure you don’t have any unpleasant surprises or trips to the ER this year and check out these tips for staying safe without sacrificing any fun during the holidays!
Think Twice Before Climbing That Ladder
Many people are hurt every year while trying to decorate their homes inside or outside. While you may feel pressure to put up the lights as soon as everyone else is and make your house as cheerful and holiday spirit-filled as possible, it’s important to take your time and consider your safety.
Make sure all of your equipment is in good shape when you get it out of storage. Don’t even think about climbing up a ladder or moving heavy objects around unless you’ve got other people around to help and watch out for risks.
Drive Carefully
Holiday parties can sometimes mean a lot of alcohol. While drinking with friends and coworkers can be a lot of fun, it can also lead to reckless and dangerous decisions. If you have had too much to drink, don’t hesitate to leave a note in your car and find another way home.
There’s no reason to be embarrassed about making safe and responsible decisions. Even if you’re sober, you’ll need to be extra cautious on the road. One of the most important tips for holiday driving is simply to stay alert. Winter weather and drunk drivers on the road require attention and confidence.
Staying Safe Outdoors
There are few things more wonderful to do as a family than going caroling or simply walking outside to see the lights on other houses. If you’re going to head outdoors, however, you need to be safe.
The most important thing is to stay warm and to stay visible. Prepare for the weather if you’re going to be outside for a long time, and you should always wear bright clothes if you’re going to be walking on or around the road in the dark.
Watch Out for Fraud
Ordering gifts and making holiday purchases means spending a lot of money and giving your credit card information to a lot of different companies online. Amid the frenzy of getting all your shopping done in time, try to stay vigilant about protecting your information and watching your account for suspicious purchases. Identity theft and cyber fraud is still a major issue, especially around this time of year.
Don’t follow unusual links in emails, even if they seem to be related to purchases you’ve made. Check your account to verify all your expenses regularly and don’t give your financial information to a website unless it’s secure.
While the holiday season is one of the best times of the year for many, it also, unfortunately, presents higher than usual risks. Take the energy this holiday season to be extra cautious. Whether it’s maneuvering in cold or icy conditions, navigating your way home after a party, or protecting your finances online, be vigilant and take safety precautions to give yourself and your family the best chance of enjoying a happy, tragedy-free end to the year.
