4th of July in New Jersey – Top 10 Dangerous Facts

Mintz & Geftic - 4th of July Injury Lawyers
US CPSC flickr.com/photos/uscpsc

The 4th of July weekend is here. The Fourth means family barbecues, parades, times with friends, enjoying the beaches of the Jersey Shore or maybe all of the above for some New Jersey residents.

Of course, as New Jersey’s top law firm for the seriously injured, we at Mintz & Geftic tend to look at the other things that also come along with the 4th of July; blowing things up, dangerous driving, drinking in the hot sun and maybe all of the above for some people in this case as well.

Here are 10 facts about the dangerous side of the 4th of July

Warning: the following list might be considered a buzzkill. Cue the Debbie Downer sound.

  1. 230 people on average go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the 4th of July.
  2. Fireworks were involved in an estimated 11,400 injuries treated in U.S. Hospital emergency rooms during the calendar year of 2013.
  3. When it comes to fireworks-related injuries, the body part(s) most injured are the hands and fingers. Giants’ fans know all about this danger.
  4. The type of fireworks causing the most injuries are firecrackers, accounting for 20% of all fireworks-related injuries. Believe it or not, sparklers are a close second with 19%.
  5. Furthermore, sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
  6. Maybe not as surprising, men make up 74% of the people suffering from fireworks-related injuries on the 4th of July.
  7. In 2011, fireworks caused an estimated 17,900 reported fires, including 1200 structural fires, 400 vehicle fires, and 16,300 outside and other fires, culminating in 8 deaths, 40 injuries, and $32 million in property damage

    And as your top New Jersey accident lawyers, we had to include a few facts about the dangerous roads on the 4th of July….

  8.  The National Safety Council estimates indicate 466 people may be killed and an additional 53,600 may be seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes during the three-day Fourth of July holiday weekend.
  9. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been tracking car crash statistics for over 25 years, and they show that, on average, 51% of all fatal automobile accidents on the 4th of July are related to alcohol. This is more than any other holiday.
  10. An estimated 150 million hot dogs will be consumed on the 4th of July.

We had to finish with at least one fun fact to reward anyone that made it through that “cheerful” list.  We at Mintz & Geftic wish you and your families a very happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

Elizabeth, New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers

We give personal attention to all of our clients. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, call us today at 908-352-2323 or send us email by clicking here to evaluate your case.

Our car accident injury attorneys serve clients throughout New Jersey and New York, including the cities of Newark, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Hackensack, and Morris, Bergen, Hudson, Union and Middlesex counties. We have offices in Elizabeth, New Jersey and New York City.

 

Sources:

http://www.nsc.org/Connect/NSCNewsReleases/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=126

http://www.medicalbag.com/grey-matter/fourth-of-july-injuries/article/472651/

https://www.cpsc.gov//Global/Research-and-Statistics/Injury-Statistics/Fuel-Lighters-and-Fireworks/2013FireworksReport.pdf