Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the entire year, may have already come and gone, but the frenzy is far from over. Every year, seasonal sales and deep discounts cause people to flock to the nearest retailers and department stores.
While this is an exciting time of year, full of holiday music, bright-colored lights, and the smell of crackling fireplaces, it also happens to be one of the most dangerous few weeks to be a consumer.
Crowding is the main reason why accident statistics rise during this notorious time of year. With too many people in too little space, the key to being safe while shopping this holiday season is keeping your eyes and ears acutely attuned to your surroundings, so that you can not only spot potential crooks and thieves, but also prevent serious accidents before they happen.
Premises Liability Accidents
It surprises many holiday shoppers to know that slip and fall accidents are one of the biggest dangers of heading to the store this season, followed by car accidents, falling objects, shopping cart injuries, and assault or battery.
Store employees and managers are often swamped trying to help out customers, and distracted shoppers can easily stumble upon a spill, unseen step, or other kind of floor hazard, resulting in a serious injury before they even know what happened.
Tips for Avoiding Slip and Fall Accidents
Clearly, the burden of accident prevention rests most heavily on the shoulders of business and property owners. Although sometimes accidents happen, and property owners aren’t expected to answer for every injury that occurs on their premises, a customer does have the right to expect that certain safety conditions will be met before they enter an establishment—i.e. clearly marking hazards, cleaning up spills quickly, etc.
With that said, though, there are several cautionary steps you can take while shopping this holiday season to lessen your chances of suffering a serious injury from a slip and fall accident, such as:
- Taking your time and paying attention to where you are going
- Making wide turns at corners
- Adjusting your stride to a pace that is suitable for the walking surface (if floor is smooth, walk slower)
- Ensuring that anything you are carrying or pushing does not obstruct you from seeing spills, obstacles, etc.
- Going around flooring that appears to be wet or in poor condition
Remember to keep safety in mind while scrambling to get everything on your shopping list this holiday season.
