During the winter months, slip and fall injuries increase due to the prevalence of snowy and icy conditions. Generally, slip and fall accidents only result in bumps and bruises, but occasionally a fall can cause serious injury. By following the tips outlined in this article, you can reduce the likeliness of accidentally slipping and falling this winter.
- Concentrate on where you’re walking.
One of the biggest causes of slipping and falling on ice or snow is not paying attention. Nowadays, many people are glued to their cellphones as they walk down the street, but this is incredibly dangerous in slippery conditions. To have the best chance at maintaining your footing in slippery conditions, make sure to look where you’re going. - Walk slowly and deliberately.
It’s a good idea in slippery winter conditions to plan ahead and give yourself a little extra time to get where you’re going. By taking slow, short steps, you greatly reduce the likeliness of slipping and falling on icy or slippery surfaces. - Try not to walk with your hands in your pockets.
Walking with your hands in your pockets affects your balance. It also affects your ability to break your fall if you do slip. By keeping your hands out of your pockets when walking in slippery conditions, you greatly reduce the likeliness of falling or being injured in a fall. - Where possible, avoid slippery surfaces.
It’s not always possible to avoid slippery conditions, but if you can, it’s best to steer clear of icy patches and other obstacles. - Use handrails on stairs or wherever available.
Falling down stairs can lead to very serious injury or death. By using handrails, when available, you greatly reduce the likeliness of slipping and falling down a flight of stairs. - Wear shoes with good treading.
It’s important to have traction when walking in slippery conditions. Rubber and neoprene soles with deep or nubby treads provide good traction for walking on ice or snow. It’s best to avoid shoes with plastic, leather, or wooden soles with little to no tread. You can also buy shoe accessories that attach to the soles of your shoes and provide extra traction on ice and other slippery conditions. - When entering a building, remove as much snow and water from your shoes as possible.
This will reduce your risk of slipping on slick floors, and it will also help to prevent others from slipping and falling. Snow, slush, and water tend to accumulate around entranceways in the winter. - Be conscious of slippery floors when entering a building.
Tracked in snow and slush create slippery conditions near the entrances of buildings. This is dangerous because people often stop being cautious once they enter a building, but slippery conditions can be present both inside and out. - Be careful when getting in and out of automobiles.
Getting in and out of motor vehicles causes you to position yourself at strange angles, which could cause you to be off balance. Under normal conditions, most people can accomplish this with no problem, but in icy or slippery conditions, off-balance weight distribution can cause you to fall. Use the door frame for support when getting in and out of your automobile. - Look out for black ice in cleared areas.
Dew, fog, mist, and moisture can freeze in cleared areas causing slippery surfaces. Black ice is named as such because it presents itself as a dark spot on the ground, often looking like the ground is just wet. If a spot on the sidewalk looks wet, assume that it’s black ice, and proceed with caution.
