How to Keep Your Family Safe This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving will be celebrated on November 23rd this year. For millions of Americans, Thanksgiving is a day for friends, family, and football. It’s a day when we celebrate all the goodness we’ve received during the past year. It’s also a day when it’s acceptable for us to take it easy and treat ourselves.
Thanksgiving is supposed to be a celebration. But it can turn tragic.
Be Safe on the Holiday
That’s because Thanksgiving is one of the peak traffic days of the year. In 2015, 46.9 million Americans travelled at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving celebrations. This year, roads will be packed with hungry travelers.
Heavy traffic isn’t the only possible danger on Thanksgiving Day. With millions of families across the country preparing the biggest meal of the year, Thanksgiving is the peak day for fires caused by cooking at home. Fire departments responded to about 1,760 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving 2015.
That’s why we’ve gathered a few safety tips. We wish you and yours a happy (and safe) Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Travels: Road Safety
Thanksgiving is one of the highest-traffic days of the year.
Most of the tips we can give you are the same ones that apply to every other drive: pay attention. Follow the rules of the road to avoid a life-changing accident. Use your headlights and windshield wipers when appropriate.
But if you’re going on a long trip this Thanksgiving, you’d be wise to plan accordingly. It would be good to take a few of these guidelines to heart:
- Check the weather and do your best to avoid any storms in your path.
- Take breaks often. Stop and stretch your legs at rest stops.
- Rotate drivers if the trip is long enough.
- Plan for extra time. The roads may be crowded, and feeling rushed can lead to unsafe driving.
Thanksgiving Meal: Home Safety Tips
Cooking fires that cause burns are the main danger for families on Thanksgiving. That’s why the No. 1 safety tip is to never leave anything cooking on the stovetop unattended. If the stove is on, make sure someone stays in the kitchen to keep an eye on it.
If you have the oven on, make sure there’s someone in the house to watch it. You don’t have to keep an eye on the oven as closely as the stove, but never leave the house empty when the oven is on. Otherwise, you might come back to find your house isn’t there anymore.
Make sure your fire alarms work. Test the batteries and make sure to change them if they’re dead.
Last, and possibly most important: If you have children in the house, make sure you child-proof your cooking area. Keep any devices (such as electric knives or hot pots and pans) that could harm children safely out of their reach.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for friends and family. With a little proper precaution, we can make sure it’s a safe time as well.
Hurt on Thanksgiving and Think You Have a Case?
The Khalidi Law Firm has more than 20 years of experience helping injured persons in the Tucson area get the closure they deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured (or worse) in an accident during the holiday, contact us. We offer free consultations and can determine if your injury means you have a legal case. You can reach our Tucson injury lawyers at (520) 629-9909.