As holiday revelers raise their glasses in celebration, they’re unknowingly toasting an unfortunate trend. It’s the most dangerous time of year for deadly traffic accidents.
Insurance industry statistics show road accidents spike sharply during the holidays, especially in California. Drunk driving plays a huge role, with holiday accidents accounting for 21% of alcohol-induced fatalities.
Here at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers, we see the results of all kinds of accidents throughout the holidays. Injured victims come to us for compassionate legal advice after holiday accidents that put a damper on the festive season.
Distracted and Impatient Holiday Drivers
Drunk driving isn’t the only culprit in holiday crashes. Distracted driving is also a huge and year-round problem here in California that makes someone 20 times more likely to have an accident.
It’s easy for people to get distracted during holiday drives. The car is packed with the whole family, and everyone wants to chat, eat, and gawk at holiday lights outside. All it takes is one moment of distraction for the driver to cause an accident.
Plus, people often drive aggressively and impatiently when they’re trying to accomplish things during the holidays. Road rage incidents increase, which is why insurers spike rates for accidents that happen during the holiday season.
Take a look at any shopping plaza parking lot the week before Christmas, and you’ll surely see some irritable drivers! All of the extra holiday pressure adds extra road danger for everyone.
Injuries We See During the Holidays
Personal injury attorneys see all kinds of additional injuries during the holidays. This includes traffic crash injuries and also a wide variety of accidents that happen at businesses and homes where people are celebrating together.
Common holiday injuries include:
Traveling/driving injuries. Accidents happen on crowded roads as people hurry along to their holiday destinations. Plus, the roads are extra packed with big trucks making holiday deliveries.
Lighting/electrical injuries. Tree lights, electrical cords, and overloaded outlets pose an increased danger of burns, shocks, and tripping injuries.
Toy injuries. Even the cutest little toy can hurt someone, particularly toys with internal batteries, lights, and electronics. Stubborn toy packaging and challenging toy assembly can also be unexpected sources of injuries.
Cooking-related injuries. All of that holiday cooking brings a higher risk of kitchen fires, scalds, and burns. This includes injuries in children, who are more likely to be involved in holiday baking than usual.
Strains and back injuries. Around the holidays, people are often injured while doing household tasks like shoveling snow, setting up guest rooms, hanging Christmas lights, and moving boxes in and out of storage.
Falls and falling objects. The holidays bring a higher risk of falls, including falling off of a ladder while decorating or falling on snow or ice. It’s also surprisingly common for people to be injured when they’re struck by holiday decor like Christmas trees and oversize outdoor displays.
Shopping and business injuries. When people leave home to go out shopping, accidents can happen anywhere. Toy stores, malls, and department stores can be especially crowded and dangerous around the holidays.
What to Do After a Holiday Accident
Nobody expects to sustain an injury during the holidays, but it can happen in an instant and ruin the festive season. Don’t let too much time pass before you seek legal assistance! It might be the holidays, but it’s your only chance to make a successful accident claim.
If you find yourself in this situation, we’ll offer you a free initial consultation so you can decide what to do next. An accident might make it difficult to enjoy a happy holiday, but we’re here to help you move forward and restore the joy in your life.
We Handle Your Accident Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life
After an injury, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many areas of the law, including holiday accidents. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering while we handle the legal details.
We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a free online case evaluation.