A recent survey by the Finnish Road Safety Council shows nearly one in three Finns have slipped and fallen either this or last winter. More than half of them said their accident was caused by extremely slippery conditions. The Pysy pystyssä (Stay on your feet) campaign is a reminder that you can equip yourself to prevent slip-and-fall accidents.
Almost a third of those who had slipped and fallen were hurt, and approximately one in seven of them had to see a doctor or nurse.
Of those, close to a third were injured and one in eight had to take time off from work or school because of the fall. These accidents are often caused by the weather, but frequently it is our being ill-prepared for slippery conditions that is partly to blame.
Take preventative action to avoid slips and falls
Footwear unsuitable for the weather conditions was the cause of accidents in almost one third of the cases according to the survey. Being in a hurry was a contributing factor in one in six of the accidents, while 7 per cent were caused by some distraction, such as looking at a mobile phone.
‘There’s not much we can do about the weather, but we can improve how we are equipped and stay alert for risky conditions. Over short distances, wearing traction cleats (anti-slip grips) or studded/high-traction shoes can help us to prevent slips and falls. Allowing more time for your outdoor trips is one way to avoid having to hurry and it is worth considering how risky or not it is to use your phone while you are walking,’ says the Finnish Road Safety Council’s Planning Officer Laura Loikkanen.
The Pysy pystyssä campaign runs from January 13 through January 24.
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Pysy pystyssä(Link leads to external service)
Photo: Pysy pystyssä