The Thanksgiving holiday can be a fun, memorable time to spend with family, but it also brings a number of risks. According to AAA, more travelers are expected to be on the road than ever this year, and Thanksgiving is also the peak day of the year for home fires. Here are a few ways to keep yourself and your family safe this holiday season.

 

 

Food Safety

• Make sure all poultry is cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, including when eating leftovers and making casseroles.
• Refrigerate foods within two hours, and make sure to keep your refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cleanliness while cooking is important. Wash your hands frequently, as well as utensils, cutting boards and counters.

Driving Safety

• Before you hit the road, make sure to clean off your headlights, taillights, mirrors and windows to be sure you can see properly. Bring extra windshield washer fluid, too.
• Secure all belongings in your vehicle so if you need to brake hard, loose objects won’t fly across the vehicle and potentially hit passengers.
• During long trips, take frequent breaks and stop every couple hours or every 100 miles. Switch drivers if possible to avoid driver fatigue.

Fire Safety

• When cooking on the stove top, don’t leave the stove unattended. Children should be kept at least three feet away from the stove at all times.
• Double check that your smoke alarms are in working order prior to Thanksgiving day, and keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.
• While the National Fire Protection Association discourages frying turkeys, if you’re going to fry one, be sure to keep the fryer off of decks, out of garages and a safe distance away from any structures or trees.