Increase In Ohio Slip And Fall Accidents Encourages Ohioans To Take Care When Walking On Snow-Covered Walkways And Parking Lots.
The snow came early to Ohio this season and now colder temperatures are settling in to cause icy conditions on roads and sidewalks. The winter season not only brings concerns with motorists over Ohio car accidents, but also with pedestrians who are at risk for Ohio slip-and-fall accidents on icy and snow-covered walkways and parking lots. Municipalities statewide have ordinances requiring owners to clear their property usually within 24 hours after a snowfall. However, the longer snowy walkways are left untreated, the more likely a slip and fall with possible injuries can occur on the icy pavement.
Slip and fall accidents and injuries are a significant health and safety problem for adults of all ages, not just in the winter but all year round, according to a study published in the March 2016 issue of PLOS One. The study used the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 2004-2013 and the NHIS 2008 Balance and Dizziness supplement. Researchers found 12 percent of community-dwelling U.S. adults reported falling in the previous year for a total estimate of 80 million falls at a rate of 37.2 falls per 100 person-years. In the previous three months, 2 percent of older adults (65 and over), 1.1 percent of middle-aged adults (45–64) and 0.7 percent of young adults (18–44) reported a fall-related injury.
[ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4792421/]
Ohio pedestrians are not the only ones who must be concerned about being careful on slippery walkways. Ohio property owners must avoid slipping and falling when shoveling snow. Each year, snow shoveling causes about 100 deaths and 11,500 injuries and medical emergencies that require treatment in an emergency department, according to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Policy. Most shoveling injuries occur from either slipping and falling on ice or from overexertion.
[nationwidechildrens.org/cirp-snow-shoveling]
The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness offers safety tips for walking in wintry conditions:
• In icy conditions, walk with someone or carry a cell phone to call for help, if needed.
• Watch for slippery surfaces ahead of you. Keep your head up and use your eyes to look down. Assume that surfaces that look slippery are, and find another way.
• Don’t try to walk in more than an inch of snow. Deeper accumulations can cause you to trip.
• Bundle up to stay warm, but make sure you can see in all directions and move freely. Wear mittens or gloves to keep your hands out of your pockets and free to help with balance.
• Wear appropriate footgear. Winter boots that fit well provide more traction than tennis or dress shoes.
Pedestrians must take all precautions to maneuver as safely as possible on snowy and icy walkways in an effort to avoid Ohio slip-and-fall accidents this winter.
While we can take precautions, accidents do happen, the attorneys at Wright & Schulte LLC urge those who experienced injuries after falling on icy sidewalks and parking lots to contact a personal injury attorney to help them take care of getting their medical bills paid and compensation for lost wages. While the attorneys are taking care of the paperwork the injured can take care of healing.
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