2016 ends this weekend, and we’re sure you are itching to celebrate the coming of a new year with your friends and family. New Year’s Eve is a time of new beginnings and resolutions, but it can also be a dangerous holiday. Here are some of the most common causes of New Year’s injuries and how to avoid them:
- Fireworks! Perhaps the most well-known symbol of New Year’s, fireworks are a highly entertaining spectacle, but more than 11,000 people suffer injuries due to fireworks every year. Even fireworks that you might deem low-risk, like sparklers and Roman candles, have the potential to cause serious burns or explosion injuries to your family. In fact, around 40 percent of fireworks injuries in 2013 resulted from small fireworks, like sparklers and bottle rockets. To keep your family safe, make sure never to give fireworks to kids, and follow all safety instructions carefully.
- Alcohol poisoning is another big concern for New Year’s celebrations. Drinking is common on New Year’s, and it can be easy amidst the celebration to lose track of how much you have had to drink. To avoid alcohol poisoning, which can kill, set a limit for drinking. Tell yourself you will only have a set number of drinks, alternate drinks with water and keep your drink close! Never set it down where strangers might be able to access it.
- Another risk that alcohol brings to New Year’s is the potential for drunk driving. 10,000 people die every year due to drunk driving, and the holiday season is prime time for drunk driving. Avoid drunk driving by downloading ridesharing apps onto your phone, designating a sober driver and paying attention to what other drivers on the road are doing.
Isaiah 49:13, “Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.”