Merry wishes for happy (and safe) holidays

THE end of the year always has a sense of excitement regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas.

Some of us will be looking forward to church services and presents and others will be eagerly awaiting that grand Malaysian tradition of open house visiting.

And then there are the holidays – this long weekend as well as the long school holidays.

Which makes it the season to travel, and many of us are still in “revenge travel” mode, eagerly making up for being restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A lot of us are going to be hitting the road – millions, in fact, as an estimated 2.1 million vehicles will be travelling during the holidays, according to the Works Ministry.

A word of caution here: According to the Transport Ministry, 2021 and 2022 saw 915,874 road accidents, with about 1% resulting in death.

These statistics are a stark reminder of the importance of being safe on the road.

It is incumbent upon all of us to drive responsibly, adhere to traffic regulations, and curb reckless behaviour behind the wheel.

A Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research study found that it is human behaviour that mainly causes road accidents, highlighting the need for collective responsibility and awareness.

Even the homebodies among us who don’t plan on travelling should keep safety in mind, especially if we’re embracing the season and decorating our homes.

Holiday decorations, while beautiful, can pose a fire hazard if not handled with care.

According to the Fire and Rescue Department decorations can cause electrical faults that cause fires if power points are overloaded or connections are faulty.

And, of course, while candlelight is beautiful, remember that unattended candles are a risk, especially with children and pets around.

And if we’re going visiting all those open houses to feast, remember one more safety tip: Be vigilant about Covid-19.

New infections in the country shot up by 62.2%, to 20,696 cases, during the week of Dec 10 to 16. Of those, 97% were mild, though 96 patients had to have ventilation, and 28 deaths occurred.

Test yourself before visiting, and if you’re positive you must quarantine yourself (yes, even if it means giving up that turkey); if the place you’re in is crowded, wear a mask.

Although it isn’t mandatory to mask up when using public transportation, it just makes sense to us to do so.

It’s all about protecting ourselves and those around us, after all.

This resurgence is following global trends, with many countries also marking an increase in cases, so if you’re travelling abroad, make sure to take masks with you.

Let’s make sure we make only beautiful memories these holidays and set ourselves up for a great 2024.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!