It’s that time of the year again!
ACL Fest has rolled into town, and Austin is gearing up to have a good time. Here at Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, we believe in having a great time, but staying safe in order to do so. Before you and your loved ones head out for a long, hot weekend of live music, here are a few basic safety tips:
Basic Festival Safety:
1. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM
It seems like an old theory, but it is tried and true. Use the buddy system. Have a friend who is responsible for knowing where you are at all times. Never wander off alone and never let your friends wander off either. And keep that cell phone charged!! Share your location with your friends and TAKE THE PASSCODE OFF YOUR PHONE. People are mostly decent and if you do lose your phone, they will be able to open it and contact your friends.
2. STAY HYDRATED
Water, water, water. It may be tempting to find a great spot up by the stage and park it, but have a designated person who is willing to fight the crowd to refill the water supply. The festival offers free water stations where you can fill up – take advantage!!
3. KNOW WHERE THE EXITS ARE
In light of recent events, it is more important than ever to understand the area you are inhabiting. Know where the emergency exits are and how best to reach them.
4. TRUST THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL
Should the time arise that you need some sort of medical attention, do not be afraid to ask for help. No matter what, the medical teams at ACL are there to help. BE HONEST! Let them know exactly what is going on, they are there to help you, not to get you in trouble.
You may be wondering, “What can possibly go wrong at a music festival?” There are a couple injuries you should be particularly aware of in case problematic situations arise:
AUTO-PEDESTRIAN-CYCLIST
CNN.com lists Austin as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the US, that being said, accidents happen. Traffic around Zilker is going to be heavy and there will be a lot of distraction. Drivers won’t always be on the lookout for bikers and pedestrians, especially when they are busy watching for other vehicles.
DRUNK DRIVERS
It’s sad, but it’s true. More than likely there will be a handful of people who don’t realize they’ve had too many drinks to operate a motor vehicle as well as teens who may be drinking and driving. Austin has too many options for safe rides home to get behind the wheel when you’ve been drinking. Use Uber, take the bus, walk.
CROWD SURFING
We know you won’t actually be crowd surfing, but any large gathering of people raises a certain risk for injury. People get excited, crowds get rowdy, and accidents happen. The stages aren’t permanent fixtures at Zilker, and could potentially be hazardous.
Be smart, stay safe, and most importantly, have fun. However, should something go wrong and you need advice, trust Austin’s oldest personal injury law firm. Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson is here for you!
