Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Are you planning to spend Thanksgiving with family and friends?  Will you travel to visit them or will they join you at your home?  The Thanksgiving holiday brings lots of joy as families and friends come together. However, the busy traffic and winter weather combined with kitchen chaos can turn happy moments disastrous. Here we will provide Thanksgiving safety tips to keep you and your loved ones safe during this long holiday weekend.

While we hope these tips help to keep you safe, we understand that accidents can happen. If you or a loved one are injured in a car accident or celebration mishap, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.

Car Travel Safety Tips

According to AAA, more than 55 million travelers plan to travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving. An additional 1.6 million people will travel compared with last year, a 2.9% increase. More travelers means an increase in car accident and injuries.

We hope you and your family have safe travels this Thanksgiving. However, car accidents can happen. If you or a loved one are injured in a car accident this Thanksgiving, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.

If you plan to travel by car this Thanksgiving weekend, stay safe with the following safety tips.

Before You Leave

1. Take your car in for a maintenance check. Make sure to check all fluid levels and ensure that tires are appropriate for your driving conditions and air levels are not low. Ensure windshield wipers are in safe and working order.
2. Plan your route. Use a route mapping service to plan your travel before you leave. This can help you avoid unnecessary stress and delays while on the road.
3. Notify a close friend or family member of your travel plans. Set a departure and arrival time, so they know when to expect you and can stay alert in case of a potential accident.
4. Update the contacts in your phone to include your auto insurance provider and towing company.
5. Pack an Emergency  Supply Kit.

The National Safety Council recommends you include the following in your vehicle emergency supply kit:

• An inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod jack
• Jumper cables
• Tool kit and/or a multipurpose utility tool
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Reflective triangles and brightly colored cloth to make your vehicle more visible
• Compass
• First aid kit with gauze, tape, bandages, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, a blanket, non-latex gloves, scissors, hydrocortisone, thermometer, tweezers and instant cold compress
• Nonperishable, high-energy foods, such as unsalted nuts, dried fruits and hard candy
• Drinking water
• Reflective vest in case you need to walk to get help
• Car charger for your cell phone
• Fire extinguisher
• Duct tape
• Rain poncho
• Additional items for cold weather include a snow brush, shovel, windshield washer fluid, warm clothing, cat litter for traction and blankets

In the Car

1. Do not drink and drive. Arrange for a sober driver or plan to spend the night.
2. Do not text and drive. Keep your mind and eyes focused on the road.
3. Always wear your safety belt. Make sure children are in age appropriate car seats and/or child safety restraints.
4. Proceed with caution on snowy, icy or wet roads. If there is a chance of heavy rain, review our hydroplane driving tips.
5. If possible, avoid travel during peak travel days and times when accidents are most likely to occur. Thanksgiving traffic is most congested on the Wednesday prior, with heavy traffic between 10 p.m. and midnight. Traffic is also heavy around shopping areas on Black Friday and when travelers are returning home the following Sunday.

For a free legal consultation, call (702) 857-6000

Home Safety Tips

Thanksgiving can mean more time with family and friends. It can also create more opportunities for accidents in or around the home. Stay safe this Thanksgiving with the following Thanksgiving home safety tips:

1. In case of fire or emergency call 9-1-1.
2. Make sure entryways and sidewalks are free of water and debris.
3. Check your alarms. Make sure both your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are operating.
4. Keep children away from sharp objects and cooking utensils.
5. Do not allow children to play near ovens, grills, deep fryers, or candles.
6. Turn off all appliances when not in use.
7. Extinguish any candles and fires, whether outdoors or inside.

Deep Frying a Turkey

Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires (US Fire Administration). Turkey cooking is a leading cause of fires, especially when using a deep fryer.

Deep frying a turkey includes many dangers such as:

1. Turkey fryers can tip over spilling hot oil across a large area.
2. A turkey placed in an overfilled cooking pot will cause oil to spill.
3. A partially frozen turkey will cause hot oil to splatter.
4. Turkey fryers can easily overheat and start a fire.
5. The pot, lid, and handles of a turkey fryer can get dangerously hot and cause burn injuries.

Avoid deep fryer mishaps with the following five Thanksgiving safety tips:

1. Place the turkey fryer outdoors in a flat, open space away from people and pets. Las Vegas Fire & Rescue warns that for apartment residents, outside cooking devices must be at least 10 feet from any building or wall. Outside cooking devices should not be under an overhang or balcony or used above the first floor.
2. Do not overfill the oil in a deep fryer.
3. Thaw the turkey completely. In a refrigerator set at or below 40 °F, allow 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds (United States Department of Agriculture).
4. Keep a close eye on the turkey fryer to ensure that it does not overheat. Prior to use, make sure the thermometer and safety gear is in proper working order.
5. Use appropriate safety gloves and tongues when approaching the deep fryer. Do not touch the pot lid, handles, fryer, oil, or turkey with bare hands.

Decorating With a Ladder

Thanksgiving can be a great time to remove past holiday decorations and decorate for December. If you plan on using a ladder to decorate your home this weekend, remember to practice proper ladder safety.

The Home Safety Council provides the following extension ladder safety tips:

• Before using a ladder outdoors, choose a location away from all power lines. Coming in contact with live wires can be deadly.
• Place the ladder on level ground and open it completely. Make sure all locks are in place.
• Use the 4-to-1 rule for extension ladders. For each 4 feet of distance between the ground and the upper point of contact, move the base of the ladder out 1 foot. The upper point of contact can be the wall or roof.
• Always face the ladder when climbing and wear slip-resistant shoes, such as those with rubber soles.
• Make sure rungs are dry before using the ladder.
• Keep your body centered on the ladder and test your safety by your belt buckle. If your buckle passes beyond the ladder rail, you are reaching too far. This can cause a fall.
• Stand at or below the highest safe standing level on a ladder. For an extension ladder, the safe standing level is the fourth rung from the top.

Experienced Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorneys

We hope these Thanksgiving safety tips help you and your family. However, even the safest person can be injured during the holidays. If you or a loved one are in Nevada and suffer a personal injury, you should speak to an experienced personal injury attorney. The law firm of Anthem Injury Lawyers has a dedicated team of accident injury lawyers and staff. We are ready to help you with your injury case.

Our office is conveniently located in Henderson. We also work with clients all over the Las Vegas Valley, including North Las Vegas, Summerlin, Spring Valley, Anthem, and the Strip.

Contact us today for a Free Consultation at (702) 857-6000.

Call or text (702) 857-6000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form