Posted: 12/30/2019
Ring in 2020 in an accident-free, safe way
As the clock ticks down on 2019 and partygoers gather to ring in a new decade, healthcare and law enforcement experts at Parkland Health & Hospital System caution revelers to have a plan before the festivities begin.
On average, driving accidents rise during the holidays, so it’s crucial to have a safe ride on a night when so many people are out and about. Know your options in advance and decide whether you’ll take public transportation, use a ridesharing service or carpool with your friends.
“This time of the year there are multiple factors that come into play when you’re out on the highways,” said Shelli Stephens-Stidham, Director of the Injury Prevention Center of Greater Dallas housed at Parkland Health & Hospital System. “Not only do you have to be concerned about drivers who might be impaired or distracted you also need to be concerned about the weather.”
Such was the case on New Year’s Eve 2017, when a cold front with frigid temperatures and icy roads resulted in more than 100 car crashes on North Texas highways. “If you’re going to be toasting in the new year don’t get behind the wheel,” Stephens-Stidham said. “And if you’re hosting a party, you’ll want to be sure your guests get home safely. One option might be to hire a driver for the evening to provide people a way to get home.”
New Year’s Day is the most active holiday for car thefts, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) 2017 data. While partygoers were ringing in the New Year or resting from their reveling, thieves were starting the New Year with a new ride – to the tune of 2,469 thefts nationwide.
“Although new technology has made it difficult to steal cars by traditional methods such as hot-wiring, the best thing car owners can do is take common-sense precautions to protect their vehicle,” said Jacob Kay, crime prevention coordinator with the Dallas County Hospital District Police Department. “It’s the same precautions you should take every day regardless of whether the calendar says it’s a holiday. Remember, crime doesn’t take a holiday.”
Some tips offered by Kay and the NICB include:
• Always lock your car.
• Invest in a car alarm and use it.
• Never leave the car unlocked and running while unattended (especially if you’re
‘warming it up’).
• Take a photo of your car’s registration on your smartphone and avoid leaving such documents or other personal information in the vehicle.
New Year’s Eve parties are also times when both guns and fireworks frequently make celebratory appearances. “That may seem obvious, but along with fireworks and champagne, shooting off guns or fireworks is a holiday tradition for some people,” Kay said. “Every bullet fired into the air doesn’t mean someone is going to get hurt, but the potential exists.”
According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 80% of celebratory gunfire-related injuries are to the head, feet and shoulders. In addition to causing potential life-threatening injuries, stray bullets can lodge in roofs, causing damage that requires repair in most cases. Normally, the bullet will penetrate the roof surface through the roof deck, leaving a hole where water may run into the building and cause a leak.
“The combination of firearms and festivities can be a deadly combination,” Kay said. “Not only do you risk injuring or potentially killing an innocent victim, but you could end up ruining the rest of your life, too. The bottom line is just don’t do it.”
Caution should also be exercised when lighting up the New Year’s Eve sky with fireworks, according to Stephanie Campbell, MS, RN, CCRN-K, Burn Program Manager, Parkland’s Regional Burn Center.
“We’ve admitted more than 40 patients in the last five years with severe burn injuries from fireworks. Clearly most of the injuries occur in July, but we always see a second spike in patients around New Year’s Eve,” Campbell said.
There are no safe fireworks, Campbell added. Even sparklers reach temperatures hot enough to melt glass and cause deep burns, especially to young children who might accidentally drop them on their feet or ignite their clothing.
“We want to encourage people to celebrate safely with confetti poppers or silly string so that they do not have to ring in the New Year with us at the burn center,” she said.
For more information about services available at Parkland, please visit www.parklandhospital.com.