With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, it’s time to give our annual safety reminders. Thanksgiving is a cherished holiday that brings us together with friends and family to show our gratitude and eat delicious food. However, there are many dangers surrounding Thanksgiving traditions, which we must be careful to avoid. Let’s discuss some of the most common accidents that happen during Thanksgiving and how you can prevent them.
Host Liability/Liquor Liability
If you plan on hosting a Thanksgiving gathering, it’s crucial to consider liability, especially if you are serving alcohol. Should a guest drink at your party and get into an accident while driving, you, as the host, could be found liable by either the guest themselves or a third party affected by the accident. As the host of a party where alcohol was served, this presents a significant risk and a liability that your homeowners’ insurance may not cover.
So, if you plan to host a Thanksgiving gathering this season, it’s worth brushing up on the associated risks. While your homeowners’ insurance can provide some coverage for the risks associated, having proper protection for your party can significantly reduce risk and provide peace of mind. For more information on this subject, read our previous blog post on Host Liquor Liability.
Tip: remember, if you are hosting guests, be careful not to overserve them and ensure they get home safely without driving intoxicated.
Cooking Mishaps
As we all know, one of the most beloved traditions of Thanksgiving is the delicious food served. For many, this tradition calls for long and hectic days of cooking. It’s easy to get distracted by family, friends, and holiday excitement while cooking your Thanksgiving meal, which makes it a peak day for home-cooking fires. An estimated 1,400 home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving each year, reflecting a 228 percent increase over the daily average.
Avoid kitchen fires with these tips:
- Stay in the area where you are cooking to avoid fires.
- Keep small children and pets away from kitchen appliances.
- Avoid wearing long sleeves and move any fabric that could come in contact with the heat source.
Deep frying your turkey poses an especially dangerous risk, leading to an average of five deaths, 60 injuries, and more than 15 million in property damage per year. In recent years, a Massachusetts fire caused by deep frying a turkey burned down three homes on Thanksgiving Day.
Avoid turkey frying accidents by following these tips:
- Never fry a frozen turkey.
- Have a fire extinguisher nearby.
- Follow instructions on the deep fryer unit and regulations in your local town about where and when you can deep fry a turkey.
- Have safety equipment ready.
- Keep children and pets away from the fryer.
Check out our Thanksgiving Safety – Deep Frying Your Turkey video featuring Tom Skelly.
Car Accidents/Drinking and Driving
Thanksgiving week sees a significant surge in travel. According to Statista, 54.6 million people traveled at least 50 miles away from home during Thanksgiving in 2022, which made it the third-highest figure seen since 2000. This influx of travelers translates to greater road traffic and a heightened potential for car accidents. If you will be on the road this Thanksgiving, remember to fasten your seatbelt, remain vigilant about other drivers, steer clear of distractions, and be mindful of the increased road risks.
Additionally, a significant number of individuals choose to consume alcohol during Thanksgiving festivities. Regrettably, some decide to operate vehicles while under the influence, substantially elevating the road risks. In fact, “Thanksgiving Eve,” or the day before Thanksgiving, is widely recognized as the biggest day of drinking out of the entire year and the deadliest day to drive, averaging 114 car crash deaths per year, according to MoneyGeek.
If you are hosting a gathering, you should ensure that no one who consumes alcohol will be driving a vehicle. If you are attending a celebration and plan to drink alcohol, arrange for a sober driver or ride-share platform such as Uber to take you home.
Call Deland, Gibson today to review your insurance coverage to ensure you are prepared for the holiday season.
Stay safe and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Providing Peace of Mind Through Proactive Service
Deland, Gibson: a Trusted Choice, Five Star Accredited independent insurance agency. Established in Massachusetts in 1900, Deland, Gibson is a 4th generation family-run insurance agency that has thrived working as a trusted advisor for its client base. We work with individuals and businesses to lower their Total Cost of Risk. We analyze a client’s direct and indirect costs and implement risk reduction plans to address areas of business, hazard, or strategic risk.
