Opportunities to suffer injuries abound. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded approximately 139.8 million visits to hospital emergency rooms in 2021. About 40 million of these visits were due to injuries, and 13% of the visits led to hospital admission.
Being injured in a car accident or other personal injury incident does more than leave you feeling sore and in need of medical care. Injuries can require expensive treatments and necessitate missing time from work to care for yourself.
Avoiding injuries is easier than you might think. Making three simple, small changes to your daily routine can immediately reduce your risk of sustaining an accidental injury. If you’ve been injured in an accident that was someone else’s fault, get help from an attorney specializing in personal injury.
1. Getting Proper Rest
American culture tends to idolize individuals with boundless energy and no need to rest. They are described as go-getters who have drive and ambition and are committed to getting ahead in life. Conversely, those prioritizing a good night’s rest are often seen as laid back and not as dedicated to their personal success and advancement.
The CDC and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) report with concern that a substantial number of Americans are not resting properly. Data shows that about one out of three American adults report not getting enough sleep at night, and four out of ten report accidentally falling asleep during the day.
Consequences of Poor Sleep
The myth of success equaling sleeplessness needs to be put to rest for good. Going without sleep can lead to a host of adverse health consequences for you, including:
- Decreased attention and focus while awake
- Trouble with your short-term and long-term memory
- Irritability, anxiety, and mood swings
- A weakened immune system that makes you more susceptible to illness
- Increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease
Additionally, not getting the recommended amount of sleep each night can impair your judgment and make you more accident-prone. Studies suggest that staying awake for 17 hours produces effects similar to having an alcohol concentration of 0.05%. If you stay awake for 24 hours and do not sleep, that is like having an alcohol concentration of 0.1%.
Participants in these studies who stayed awake for extended periods exhibited symptoms such as being uncoordinated and off-balance, and they struggled with poor judgment. This means that you are more likely to be involved in a car accident, an accident on the job, or other types of personal injury accidents while going about your regular routine.
Therefore, it’s vital to make getting enough sleep a priority. The NIH recommends that most adults get between seven and nine hours of quality sleep each night, which involves sleeping in a darkened room with minimal distractions for an uninterrupted time. Aim to go to bed at the same time each night as well.
2. Following the Rules
As a child and teenager, you may have been tempted to break the law or your parents’ rules as an act of defiance and to assert your individuality. Consequences may have included a loss of allowance, being confined to your room for the weekend, or losing driving privileges. There are still rules in adulthood, but their consequences are more severe.
Breaking the law can lead to a host of legal complications. You could be incarcerated and ordered to pay a fine. You might not be able to work in specific industries because of a criminal conviction, and your ability to drive, vote, or possess a firearm can be affected. Additionally, you could be ordered to a probation program and have to be monitored for a period of time.
However, there is a more fundamental reason to obey the law. Following the law, especially the rules of the road, can reduce your chances of being involved in a traffic accident that can injure or kill you. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that over 39,500 people died in traffic crashes in 2021.
Many of the risky behaviors identified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are actions that are prohibited by most states’ laws. They include:
- Driving a vehicle without wearing a seat belt
- Drinking and driving, or driving while impaired by some other substance
- Speeding
- Using a handheld electronic device while driving a car
As an adult, breaking the law on or off the road does not gain you anything except an increased risk of becoming a statistic. While obeying the law is no guarantee you will be safe from all injuries, it does go a long way toward reducing your risk.
3. Cutting Back on Alcohol Use
Alcohol can impair your judgment elsewhere than behind the wheel. Whether around the house or on the job, alcohol consumption can cause you to take unnecessary risks and react poorly in stressful situations.
Worldwide, about 5.2 million people each year die in alcohol-related injury accidents alone. When you cut back on your alcohol use, you can reduce your chances of suffering one of these accidents.
Small Changes Can Yield Big Gains
Many personal injury accidents are avoidable and occur only because someone is not thinking carefully about their decisions. Preventing these incidents often comes down to exercising forethought before acting; the clearer your mind is, the better the decisions you will make.
These three changes in your daily habits may seem small and insignificant. However, getting a good night’s sleep and avoiding excessive alcohol use can keep your mind and judgment sharp. And when you follow applicable laws, you are abiding by rules that are designed to keep you and those around you safe from harm.
If you do find yourself in an accident, ensure that you get help from an attorney specializing in personal injury. A personal injury attorney may be able to recover compensation for your injuries.
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This post brought to you by Kristina Rodopska
Photo: iStock