So summer’s here and it’s holiday time! July-August is the peak time to take a break in the UK because as soon as the schools shut up shop for six weeks the parents are raring to get away from it all. The suitcases, sun cream, buckets and spades are dusted off and we’re all off on a summer holiday once again (with or without Cliff Richard!). But the last thing any of us want to face when we return from our escapades is having to make a holiday accident claim.
No matter where you go on holiday this year you will no doubt be using some kind of transport. Whether you are jetting off to explore Australia, you are hopping onboard a liner to cruise around the Caribbean, you are taking the passenger ferry or the Eurostar over to France or simply getting in the car for a trip down to Cornwall, the reality is that you could become an accident statistic.
But don’t despair, it’s not quite as dismal as it first may seem. The odds of having a holiday accident for which you have to consult a personal injury solicitor to make a compensation claim are thousands to one. The majority of travellers will come back with a sun tan, a selection of tacky souvenirs and a suitcase full of duty frees, not a serious personal injury. However, some accident statistics printed at http://www.rospa.com/ reveal some greater insight into the dangers that British holiday makers may face.
The first point to make is that it’s a good job that you have decided to take some time off from work. Not only can working for long periods without regular breaks away lead to work-related stress, you could also be at more risk of having an accident at work. During 2005/06 there were 160 fatal accidents and a staggering 28,605 personal injuries in the workplace reported to the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR. Likewise, there were a total of four deaths reported in schools.
Worryingly, many holiday accident claims are on the cards before holiday makers even make their destinations as the 2002 UK national estimate for accidents while travelling/touring was 480,664.
There’s bad news if you are staying close to home and either touring local attractions or doing a cross-country trip, as in 2005 271,017 people suffered personal injury in road accidents. This figure relates to all drivers in the UK, not just holiday makers, but is worth bearing in mind all the same.
Similarly, that same year, there were 5,172 casualties from train accidents, including accidents through the movement of railway vehicles and accidents on railway premises. But, despite a number of fatal crashes reported in the media of late, public transport is still the safest way to travel. So maybe taking the train on a trip to Edinburgh rather than driving from the south would not only be a less tiresome option but also a far safer one.
Even though you have more chance of being killed by lightning than you do of being involved in a plane crash, 2005 saw a total of 105 casualties and 27 deaths resulting from aviation accidents in UK airspace. The majority of these air crashes were caused by UK registered aircraft.
You should also take extra care when choosing which leisure activities to pursue when on holiday. There are so many leisure activities on offer in the UK and abroad – from surfing and sailing to hiking and mountain climbing – and although there are stringent safety measures in place with professional establishments, accidents are fairly common.
According to the Home Accident Surveillance System including the Leisure Activities Final Report 2002 Data, a total of 1,208,414 people had accidents while taking part in leisure activities in the UK just five years ago. Also, the national estimate for non-fatal water sport accidents is 21,935 for 2002. Further, RoSPA have revealed that 381 drownings were recorded during 2003. It is thought that many of these resulted in holiday accident claims.
http://www.youclaim.co.uk/holiday-accident-claims-foreigness.htm
