Freezing rain and sleet are expected to be part of the wintry mix hitting Iowa. With the likelihood of slippery parking lots and sidewalks, the Iowa Department of Public Health reminds Iowans that slips, trips and falls are the second most common cause of accidental deaths in the U.S. each year, second only to traffic accidents. IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk says a slip on the ice doesn’t always result in serious injury or death, but these falls can be painful and sometimes debilitating. Statistics show almost 80 percent of slips and falls due to snow and ice occur in parking lots and on sidewalks. More than half of these falls happen between 6 a.m. and noon, so it’s important to take special care when walking in parking lots in the morning.

Tags: , ,