ACC stats reveal up to 4000 Kiwis injured every Christmas Day, costing NZ $3m every year

Letting your hair down this Christmas could land even Santa in hospital, or filing an ACC claim. Photo / Getty Images

Grandma mind the eggnog and little Timmy beware the shiny new skateboard, as Christmas Day is dangerous.

Revellers need to heed caution this festive season, as new figures show that thousands of people are injured every December 25.

Every year, more than 3400 claims are lodged with ACC for Christmas Day incidents, costing the country almost $3million.

New bikes, trampolines, and other new toys like last year's Christmas must-have hoverboards, could be blamed for many of the accidents.

And so can over-indulgence and festive exuberance, according to personal injury law expert, John Miller.

"At Christmas, people get inebriated and injure themselves doing something silly or stupid, but are still covered by ACC which is one of the beauties of the scheme," Miller said.

"Even people showing off, saying 'Look at me walking across this balcony edge', or getting a champagne cork in the eye are covered."

The ACC data, obtained by the Herald, shows that on average over the last five years, 3481 Christmas Day claims are lodged every year - just under the normal average of 5000 claims per day.

The majority of claims are for 'soft tissue injuries', with almost 2000 accidents happening every Christmas.

It's closely followed by injuries classified as 'laceration, puncture, sting', and then around 300 fracture or dislocations every year.

The most eye-watering injury is 'foreign body in orifice/eye', which claims 58 victims, on average, every year. Dental injuries account for slightly more.

The most at-risk age category is five-to-nine year olds, who on average, make 268 ACC claims every year.

They are closely followed by the tiny tots aged 0-4 (257 ACC claims), and the still adventurous 40-44 year olds and 45-49 year old who average 238 accident claims every Christmas.

Senior citizens aren't immune to danger either, with 143 people aged over 85 hurting themselves every year too.

And the most injury prone sex?

Females, just by 1746.1 claims every years, to males' 1735.6.

While people should let their hair down and have a good time, MIller says they should still stop and think.

"The dangers of Christmas can be people getting inebriated who might not usually get inebriated, and then there's the drunken father trying to carve the Christmas turkey and the fact that, like other parties, there's lots of children flying around the place. People need to take care," he said.

ACC media advisor Suzanne Muth said people need to take their usual safety precautions around the home - don't mow the lawns in jandals, wipe up spills as they happen, provide good lighting, and warm up before doing anything too physical.

"We want people to enjoy the day but we'd prefer if everybody's Christmas wasn't ruined by any accidents," Muth said.

Numbers

3400 Claims lodged with ACC for Christmas Day injuries.
$3m Approximate cost of December 25 claims.
10 Children under 10 are most at risk at Xmas time.