Victoria day weekend is often called the unofficial start of the summer, but the London Health Sciences Centre refers to it as the start of “trauma season”.
Where many people travel north to cottages, enjoy fireworks, and spend time with family, workers and employees with hospitals across the city including the LHSC prepare to see higher volumes of injuries.
“Unfortunately, once we have this nicer weather we generally see an increase in our serious life-threatening injuries over our summer months,” says Jennifer Britton, an injury prevention specialist with the LHSC.
“It starts with what we all believe is the kick-off to summer with the May long weekend through to the end of September.”
With roads looking to be busier during this long weekend, drivers and passengers are expected to be the leading visitors to emergency rooms.
“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of serious injury for adults and children who are treated at LHSC. In most cases, these collisions could have been prevented and there are simple steps that can be taken to ensure everyone is safe this summer,” says Britton.
(Credit: LHSC) Jennifer Britton, an injury prevention specialist with the London Health Sciences Centre.
Britton goes on to talk about what the LHSC considers “the big four”; The leading causes of motor vehicle accidents, which include speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, and seat-belt usage.
Seat belts in particular are designed to save lives, with a study from the National Safety Council saying they reduce the chances of driver deaths by over 45 per cent and reducing the chances of moderate to critical injuries by 50 per cent.
When it comes to one of the increasing causes of injury in distracted driving, Britton offers some advice on reducing the urge to reach for your phone.
“Finding a tactic that works for you in terms of putting your phone away, so it isn’t there beeping at you or dinging at you, lighting up, because as soon as you see it, it’s so hard to resist the urge to pick it up,” says Britton.
“Whether that be fully silencing it, putting it in your glovebox, putting it in the back seat, just finding a sort of behaviour change that really prevents you from using it.”
Speeding is one of the causes that can be one of the easiest to accidentally slip into and Britton understands just how difficult it can be to avoid.
“It is so challenging, our roadways are designed, unfortunately, for speed and with good weather conditions it can make it easy to do.”
Tragedy can strike anytime and when long weekends like the Victoria Day weekend roll around, nurses, doctors, and staff at hospitals including the LHSC understand the increased likelihood of injuries.
“It definitely can be a busy weekend. Our staff going into the weekend are more than well aware of that. I think it’s important to let the public know as much as we expect it to be a busy weekend, our staff is always doing the best they can to treat all patients with the highest level of care.”
While it is important to have fun, relax, and enjoy longer weekends when they roll around, the LHSC recommends that fun should never come in the way of safety.
Britton had one final thought as Londoners prepare to enter into the start of “trauma season”.
“It’s really just being prepared and thinking in advance, if you are going to be out on the roads making sure, you know, preparing yourself. Set up your music, set your GPS ahead of time, again put those phones away,” says Britton.
“We’re very supportive of people having a good time and enjoying this first official summer weekend, but if you are going to be doing so, not putting yourself or others at risk.”
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