Policyholders are decking their halls with hazards
More than 95% of people use at least one fire hazard when decorating home interiors for the holidays, Selective Insurance reports.
Around 85% of U.S. citizens decorate inside their homes during the winter holiday season, according to Selective Insurance, which reported that 97% of these people will introduce at least one fire hazard into their house while decorating.
Among the people who hang Christmas lights, light a Menorah or deploy some other form of indoor lighting decoration during the holidays, 66% increased their chances of starting an accidental fire by leaving holiday lights on in an unattended room.
Other holiday-related fire hazards include real candles, tinsel and natural Christmas trees.
When it comes to natural trees, which 28% of U.S. residents put up, just 17% say they water them daily, which is recommended by the National Fire Safety Association. Most Americans (67%) water their natural Christmas trees three times per week or less.
“I’m not trying to be Scrooge, but our research shows that most U.S. residents need to better understand and practice smart fire safety precautions to help ensure a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season,” Allen Anderson, senior vice president, personal lines at Selective Insurance, said in a release.
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