Avoid the emergency room this holiday season

Happy holidays

South Africa has some of the most exciting and beautiful holiday destinations in the world. We have the sea, sun, mountains and wild places and animals that others can only dream of. Most South Africans have fond childhood memories of blissful holidays spent at the coast or elsewhere.

Unfortunately, not all holiday makers arrive alive at their destinations and many land up in the emergency wards of hospitals or do not return home at all. Fortunately, many of the hazards that cause injuries and fatal accidents can be avoided.

Here are a few tips to help you identify some common holiday accident hazards and prepare to avoid them spoiling your holiday.

Arrive alive

Unfortunately, South Africa has one of the highest road fatality rates in the world and more than a thousand people die on the roads just over the festive season (December to January) every year. So, adhering to the road safety rules and driving carefully may not be enough; you will also have to be more than extremely cautious when driving on any South African road with other South African drivers. As a precaution:

• • Make sure your vehicle is roadworthy and that you have enough petrol to get to your destination

• • Follow weather, news and traffic reports to avoid trouble spots and road accident scenes and getting stuck in traffic building up ahead

• • Buckle up and make sure your children are safely strapped in; it’s the law! The back seat is the safest place for children

• • Stop regularly, in a safe spot, to prevent driver fatigue

• • Avoid dangerous and reckless driving habits such as speeding, drunk driving and dangerous overtaking practises.

Fireworks-related accidents

In South Africa, fireworks are widely used on New Year’s Eve, 5 November (Guy Fawkes Day) and during October and November for Diwali celebrations (Festival of Lights). Each year, these fireworks, especially firecrackers, cause serious burns and injuries to the hands, eyes and faces of young children.

All fireworks for individual private use should be handled with extreme care and be supervised by an adult. It is illegal to sell fireworks to under-age children and parents should report such dealers.

Marine hazards

Although many marine and land animal and insect bites may seem minor and nothing to worry about, having a severe allergic reaction to a bite or sting can land you in hospital. Avoiding stings or bites is advisable but not always easy.

Bluebottle stings are extremely painful but in most cases not life-threatening. Although jelly fish are among the top five most deadly animals on earth the box jelly fish found along our coast are for the most part comparatively non-threatening albeit with a nasty sting. Teach children to look but not touch any sea creature both dead and alive. It’s important to always wear “slops” or other shoes when wading through rock pools or swimming in tidal pools. Stepping on a sea urchin is a very unpleasant experience.

Avoid physical contact in and out of the water to any of the abovementioned hazards.

Shark attacks are horrific experiences that you want to avoid at all costs. Fortunately, these attacks are relatively rare and many beaches have shark nets installed. Take the following precautions:

• • Swim only at netted beaches

• • Don’t go into the water if you have and open wound. Urine and blood attract sharks but haemolysed (menstruation) blood is not an attraction to sharks

• • Sharks are most active during the night and at dusk and dawn; don’t swim at these times

• • Don’t swim in the vicinity of flooding rivers or where garbage is dumped

• • Swim in groups, never alone

• • Avoid wearing shiny jewellery in the water as it may attract sharks

• • Avoid attaching speared fish to the body, especially where sharks, barracudas or groupers are common

• • Be especially careful and stay out of the water during a time when shark nets are temporarily removed, for example during the sardine run on the South Coast.

Snake bites

Wear appropriate footwear when walking or hiking and watch where you step. Remember, there are dangerous and venomous snakes at the coast too, both in and out of the water!

Drowning and near drowning

Prevent drowning and near drowning by:

• • Only swimming at beaches with life guards

• • Not swimming alone, at night or at dawn

• • Not swimming directly after eating or if you have been drinking alcohol; “drinkers are often sinkers”

• • Watching your children at all times and not allowing them to swim unsupervised. Also note that swimming in lagoons can be dangerous to your child’s health as the bacterial counts in these waters can be very high and when swallowed may cause bacterial infections

• • Not swimming near pipes, rocks, breakwaters or piers

• • Not diving into water where you do not know what is below the surface.

Sun damage

Use sun protection fluid with a minimum of SPF 30+ − or you will regret it. Be especially careful of children and cover up as much exposed skin as possible as well as applying sunscreen. Stay out of the sun when temperatures are highest, usually between 11 am and 3 pm to prevent sunstroke or severe sunburn. A bad case of sunburn with blisters means a person has second degree burns and needs to see a doctor.

Violence-related injuries

Unfortunately, crime has become so rampant in South Africa that this is an issue even when on holiday. Holiday makers are viewed by many criminals as wealthy, naïve and easy targets who are unfamiliar with the area where they are holidaying and inept at seeking assistance once robbed or attacked. South Africa is known as the rape capital of the world and young girls and women are at special risk. Stay safe by being vigilant, not going out alone at night, not wearing expensive jewellery and locking car doors and windows.

Also make sure that there are adequate security measures in place before you book your holiday accommodation.

 

Sources
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Dangerous marine animals. Retrieved from: http://www.divingmedicine.info/Ch%2029%20SM10c.pdf
Escaping danger zones 2013: The drivers preparation guide. Retrieved from: http://www.insurancechat.co.za/tag/most-common-accidents-by-type/
Hampton, M. 2013. One thousand four hundred and sixty five road deaths over South Africa’s holidays. Retrieved from: http://www.knysnacrimewatch.co.za/1465-road-deaths-over-holidays/
Holiday health and protection. Retrieved from: http://www.margate.co.za/dir_holiday-health.htm
Road safety tips 24/7. Retrieved from: http://www.arrivealive.co.za/documents/Roadsafety_tips.pdf
Robertson-Andersson, D. How jellyfish sting. Retrieved from:http://www.nsri.org.za/2012/02/how-jellyfish-sting/
Safety tips for the South Coast. Retrieved from: http://www.tourismsouthcoast.co.za/en/SafetyTips.aspx
Smittenberg, MN et.al. 2010. Can fireworks-related injuries to children during festivities be prevented? Retrieved from: http://www.ajol.info/index.php/samj/article/viewFile/69688/57695