NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 'Tis the season to
be jolly — but also the season to be careful. 10% of Americans say
they were injured putting up a Christmas tree in 2021, with 18%
admitting to putting up their trees drunk. This is just one
discovery from two new reports on Christmas holiday hazards
published by LendingTree insurance research site ValuePenguin.
Christmas Hazards Key Findings:
- An Unpowered Scooter is the worst toy to buy this
Christmas. There have been 477,082 injuries attributed
to non-motorized scooters since 2011. The 2nd and 3rd most
dangerous toys are Balls, and Toy Vehicles (excluding riding
toys).
- 70% of Americans left Christmas tree lights on
overnight, a major fire hazard. 10% of Americans
admit they use lights that are at least 7 years old but don't
regularly check the wiring.
- Playful Pets are another Major
Christmas Risk. 72% of pet owners say their pets have
knocked down their Christmas tree or knocked off ornaments — and
49% of people in that group report damage or an injury from
it.
- It's more dangerous to drive during
Christmas. In the past decade, more than 6 in 10 fatal
crashes during the holidays happened on or around Christmas.
- Rising utility bills will be a real Grinch in 2021. This
year, 34% of Americans anticipate higher electricity bills over the
holidays, and plan to use Christmas lights less often.
- Christmas is becoming safer. This year, 10% of
Americans say they've been injured setting up a tree, down from 20%
from 2020. The number of toy related injuries treated in emergency
departments fell 35% and the number of fatal crashes fell 18% from
2011
According to ValuePenguin Insurance spokesperson Divya Sangam, "Personal liability coverage
within a homeowners or renters insurance policy should cover bodily
injury or property damage at home or and most auto insurance
policies will cover you if you get into a car accident over
Christmas." She adds, "Beyond sticking to hot cocoa, or keeping a
close eye on your pets - you can consider an umbrella policy for
your home, a comprehensive policy for your car and opt for higher
amounts of liability coverage for extra protection during the
holidays."
ValuePenguin analysts commissioned Qualtrics to conduct an
online survey of 2,050 U.S. consumers from Nov. 2021, and looked at data from the National
Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) to identify 2021's
Christmas hazards.
Here are the reports:
CHRISTMAS HAZARDS SURVEY:
https://www.valuepenguin.com/christmas-hazards-survey
TOY INJURIES REPORT:
https://www.valuepenguin.com/toy-injuries-study
Additional Information on Christmas Risks:
https://www.valuepenguin.com/fatal-crashes-during-thanksgiving-christmas
About ValuePenguin.com: ValuePenguin.com, part of
LendingTree (NASDAQ: TREE), is a personal finance website that
conducts in-depth research and provides objective analysis to help
guide consumers to the best financial decisions. ValuePenguin
focuses on value, assessing whether the return of a particular
decision is worth the cost or risk of that option, and how this
stacks up with the other possible choices they may have. For more
information, please visit www.valuepenguin.com, like our Facebook
page or follow us on Twitter @ValuePenguin.
Media Contact:
Nadia Gonzalez (Ms.)
Nadia@LendingTreeNews.com
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SOURCE ValuePenguin.com