How to Avoid Injuries at New Mexico’s Summer Festivals

New Mexico Summer Festivals

New Mexico’s climate offers a longer festival season than most. As a matter of fact, New Mexico hosts nearly 50 festivals throughout the year, including the upcoming Mayfest in the Mountains and Albuquerque Taco Fest. There is no shortage of things to do in New Mexico this summer, but summer festivals bring with them a heightened risk of injury. If you’re planning on going to an event in New Mexico this summer, preparing for a safe experience will help to ensure a fun experience. Here are five tips to stay safe a New Mexico Summer festival this year.

In The Article

Stay Hydrated and Eat Well

While hydration is key in nearly every situation you’re in, New Mexico’s hot, dry climate may require more water than you might think. Even mild dehydration can cause dizziness, and loss of balance, especially in older adults. Disorientation like this can lead to more slip and fall injuries at festivals.

To maintain proper hydration, pay attention to your body. While it’s suggested that you consume around 8 ounces of water or fluid every 15 to 20 minutes they’re active outdoors, your body may need more or less. The color of your urine can tell you how dehydrated you are. If your urine is dark yellow, you need more fluid. If your urine is clear, you are overhydrated. Having a pale-yellow urine shows you’re properly hydrated.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

In crowded places, you probably already know to be aware of your surroundings, but there is more to staying safe than watching what other people are doing. Knowing what is going on around you and the potential hazards in your area is essential to your safety.

Potential hazards to keep an eye out for at festivals can include:

• • A rowdy group that is getting physical
• • Uneven grounds
• • Broken stairs
• • Broken or bent guardrails and fences
• • Animals that look agitated
• • Wet surfaces (from rain or spilled drinks)
• • Electrical equipment for sound and lights
• • Poorly constructed rides and games
• • Large crowds running in one direction

Festivals can hold a lot of dangers, so it’s important to be on the lookout for things that could lead to injury. Even though slip and fall accidents are prevalent at festivals, other types of injuries like electrocution or dog bites can also lead to severe injuries, so be aware of what is around you.

Stick With the Group

There is safety in numbers… who hasn’t heard that line? It almost seems cliché, but it is absolutely true. Being with a group, or just one other person can give you additional safety from potential predators or becoming the collateral damage of a fight that broke out in your area.

A friend can stop you from tripping over uneven ground or spot a potential hazard that you didn’t see. It’s always good to have people around, so do your best to sync with your group and not get lost.

Tips for Alcohol Consumption in New Mexico

While having fun can alcohol consumption, one of the first steps in avoiding injury is to drink responsibly. Don’t drink over your limit, and be sure to space out your drinks, drinking water in between alcoholic beverages.

Additionally, alcohol usage at festivals can lead to a higher risk of slip and fall injuries due to the effects of these substances.

Report Hazards on Festival Grounds

If you see something, say something. Not only will this help protect you as a festival goer, but it will help protect everyone else. If you see a hazard on festival grounds, report it immediately to security services. If you are unable to locate security services, talk to one of the vendors or ride operators.

For example, if you’ve noticed people falling on uneven ground in a specific area, let someone know as soon as possible. Uneven ground can cause fall injuries as minor as a sprain and as severe as a traumatic brain injury.

If you see an issue with a ride, let the operator know immediately, so they can stop the ride and then let security know that the issue was reported to the operator.

Know Where the Med Tent Is

Many larger festivals in New Mexico have medical tents or other types of emergency or injury facilities. In some cases, it can just be a fire engine and ambulance on standby near the entrance of the festival, in other cases, structures are built specifically for the festival’s medical assistance team. For purposes of this section, we’ll refer to this area as the med tent.

While no one expects to be injured at a festival, knowing the med tent’s location can make a big difference in the outcome of an emergency. Try to find identifying features of the med tent and taller structures around it, so if you’re far away from it, you’ll know exactly which direction to go in case of an injury.

Many festivals have med tents or emergency services near the entrance, but some have them in multiple locations (especially the larger festivals). Some festivals offer maps, so knowing where you are on the map can be helpful to always knowing how to access the med tent.

If You’ve Been Injured at a New Mexico Festival

Whether you were in a slip and fall accident on festival grounds or you’ve been injured in a ride malfunction, the very first thing you should do is seek medical attention, if necessary. Next, take as many pictures as possible of the location you were injured. If you’re unable to take images, have the person or people you’re with take pictures from as many angles as possible.

Next, be sure to get witness information, including name and phone number, to ensure that you have multiple people describing the event that led to your injury.

If medical attention wasn’t emergent, go to the med tent to document your injuries and get checked out. If you’ve been consuming drugs or alcohol, or if you’re in shock, you may not realize how bad your injuries were initially. Having the med tent document your injuries can be helpful, should you have an injury claim.

Finally, contact a personal injury lawyer who can help you sort through who is at fault for the injury and file a claim. Ron Bell Injury Lawyers understands that there could be one or multiple negligent parties in a festival injury. Contact our experienced personal injury lawyers today for a free case evaluation. 898-BELL