Black Friday falls on the day after Thanksgiving and marks a day of low prices and mega-sales for shoppers. Every year, millions of shoppers hit stores throughout the world to start on their holiday shopping or get deals on electronics, appliances, and other goods. Unfortunately, the popularity of the holiday has escalated into such chaos that it causes serious shopper injuries and deaths each year. Sadly, some shoppers will never make it back home.
Black Friday Injury and Death Statistics
From the date Black Friday Death Count began tracking data in 2006 to Black Friday 2018, there have been 117 injuries and 12 deaths. Two thousand thirteen was the most dangerous year for Black Friday shoppers, with 10 reported incidents. In 2013, on teen died in a car accident while returning home from Black Friday shopping, after falling asleep behind the wheel. Several other shoppers that year ended up in hospitals after fights, stabbings, attacks, and shootings.
Two thousand eighteen was a major year for Black Friday shootings. In 2018, Black Friday saw one shopper shot to death in a South Keys Ottawa store parking lot, and another wounded in a shooting inside a New Jersey mall. Another mall shooting occurred in Memphis, Tennessee, leaving one man with serious injuries, while a fourth mall shooting took one life and wounded two others (including a 12-year-old child) in Alabama. Also in 2018, two people suffered stab wounds at a Macy’s in the Destiny USA mall in Syracuse, New York.
Walmart is a common setting for Black Friday injuries. Fourteen Black Friday incidents involving injuries and deaths occurred at Walmart stores from 2006 to 2018. These incidents include parking lot collisions, drunk driving accidents, pepper-sprayed shoppers, employees getting trampled, stabbings, brawls, and shootings. Walmart is a popular place for shoppers to get Black Friday deals, and Walmart locations around the world see an influx of millions of people on this holiday every year.
Risks Black Friday Shoppers Face
Why is Black Friday so dangerous for shoppers? Some of the most common causes of Black Friday injuries and deaths are crowded parking lots, packed and disorderly stores, shoppers running high with emotions, and violent criminals taking advantage of the madness. Based on injury statistics, some risks cause more harm than others.
- Acts of violence. Black Friday deals and large crowds of people can lead to some engaging in violence to get what they want. Black Friday shoppers in the last 10 years have suffered injuries and died in shootings, stabbings, fights, and other acts of violence from fellow shoppers.
- Trampling or stampeding injuries. A 61-year-old man lost his life in a Black Friday stampede when frantic shoppers stepped on top of him in a rush to get the best deals. He collapsed from a heart condition, but went unnoticed or ignored by passing shoppers. Stores have a duty to prevent stampedes any way they can on Black Friday.
- Premises liability accidents. A barrage of shoppers can lead to messy stores and many personal injury hazards. From slippery floors to objects falling from shelves, shoppers could face several premises-related risks on a Black Friday shopping spree.
- Parking lot accidents. Crowded parking lots, speeding drivers, and aggressive shoppers engaging in road rage can lead to vehicles running over shoppers in store parking lots. Vehicle-shopper collisions can cause serious and fatal injuries.
Black Friday is not always a positive thing for shoppers. Personal injury hazards, negligent drivers, and criminals endanger the lives of consumers who choose to take advantage of Black Friday deals. If you or a loved one suffer serious injuries in a Black Friday accident or altercation, contact a local attorney. A discussion with an attorney could show you legal options that may reimburse you for damages.