Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating, spending time with friends and family and of course, a time for eating lots of delicious holiday food. While there is plenty of fun to be had by all, it is also important to remember that Thanksgiving creates some of its own risks that are important to mitigate. To help keep you and your loved ones safe, we have provided some useful tips on safe food handling, traveling safely, and how to prevent house and apartment fires to keep everyone happy and healthy this upcoming holiday season.
It is also important to note that just like last year, many Americans are asking how they can safely and responsibly celebrate this Thanksgiving in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers tips to safely celebrate.
Somewhere between 50 and 60 million people travel for Thanksgiving festivities in the United States every year. Whether you will be hosting guests for this year’s Thanksgiving in your own residence or celebrating the holiday at someone else’s, it is safe to assume that some degree of travel will be involved. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 43,000 to 68,000 Americans are involved in car accidents where they sustain injuries that require a medical consultation during the Thanksgiving period. According to the council, the Thanksgiving period runs from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday during the weeks immediately before and after Thanksgiving day weekend.
Certain risk factors increase a person’s chances of being involved in a dangerous or deadly holiday motor vehicle accident, like impairment by alcohol and/or drugs, driver distraction, traffic, driver fatigue, and more. To limit the risks associated with holiday travel, the NSC recommends the following:
As we all know, turkey is a Thanksgiving holiday staple. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handling poultry incorrectly and undercooking it are some of the most common problems that contribute to foodborne disease outbreaks. To avoid food handling and cooking mishaps that can lead to serious illness, the CDC recommends:
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires that involve cooking equipment. Each year, fire departments across the country respond to more than 1,500 house calls on Thanksgiving day and night. Although holidays can be chaotic, it is important to follow certain safety tips that can protect you and your loved ones from falling victim to a house fire.
The NFPA reports that one of the top contributing factors for holiday fires is unattended cooking, so it is critical to always stay in the kitchen and keep an eye on cooking food. The association’s other fire safety tips include:
Our whole team at Galfand Berger is wishing you and your loved ones a good – and safe – Thanksgiving!
If you have a legal question or concern, please contact our Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger LLP has offices located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. To schedule a consultation, call us at 800-222-8792 or complete our online contact form.