As Halloween draws near, a new analysis from per diem healthcare staffing platform Nursa highlights which holidays send the most Americans to emergency rooms each year-and offers safety tips for those celebrating this week.
According to the 2024 data, Labor Day ranks as the most dangerous holiday, with an estimated 49,500 emergency room visits nationwide, a 20% increase compared to an average day. Independence Day followed closely behind with about 47,400 visits, while Memorial Day placed third with 42,700.
At the other end of the list, Christmas proved the safest, seeing an estimated 33,400 ER visits, nearly 19% below the daily average.
While Halloween sits in the middle of the rankings-fifth overall with roughly 38,300 ER visits-Nursa’s analysis warns that the holiday becomes riskier when it falls on a Friday, as it does this year. The report also notes that Halloween sees the largest spike in anaphylactic reactions related to peanut and tree nut allergies, and its most common injuries include lacerations (16.7%) and fractures (16.4%).
Experts urge families to stay alert while trick-or-treating, inspect costumes for visibility and safety hazards, and carefully check all treats for potential allergens.
