This past weekend at Commonwealth Stadium, I visited two groups of tailgaters and walked past hundreds more. I am always amazed at how elaborate the setups have become.
And no wonder. It’s been estimated that Americans spend in excess of $12 billion annually on their tailgating activities. It seems competition for nomination into the “Tailgating Hall of Fame” gets more ferocious each year.
Unfortunately, when you bring that many people and vehicles into such a confined area and then add alcohol into the equation, there are several mishaps that can place you in the “Tailgating Hall of Shame.”
Some mishaps take a tragic turn, as in 2011 when a truck filled with beer kegs ran over three people at a Yale football game; one person died. Another tailgater was electrocuted after trying to erect a pole at a Penn State game in 2002.
Then there are those who choose to place their red hot grills into their trunks before heading into the game, only to return to find their vehicle smoldering and firefighters wanting to take selfies with you.
One such incident occurred at a Monday Night game between the NFL’s Redskins and the Steelers, where a fire that started in the back of a vehicle from a grill that had been put away hot. Nine other vehicles also caught fire, requiring 20 firefighters to battle the blaze and resulting in $150,000 in damage.
Another staple at football tailgates is the portable gas generator used to power TVs, mini-refrigerators, blenders, heaters, coffee makers, slow cookers and other electrical appliances. But generators come with their own unique risks, including carbon monoxide poisoning. In fact a man died while tailgating at the Talladega Motor Speedway after he and his wife were found unresponsivein their RV.
There are also risks that could result in criminal charges. For instance, as a legal-age drinker, you could be charged with providing alcohol to a minor if an underage kid crashes the well-stocked bar at your unsupervised tailgate. Not to mention the legal liability this presents if a minor or adult who consumes too much alcohol at your tailgate party was later involved in a car accident after the game; this is known as social host liability. Then if you make a poor choice to allow another “sober” tailgater to drive your car because he isn’t as drunk as you and you end up in an accident, you may be sued for negligent entrustment.
Tailgaters are also prone to become victims of theft while attending the game, just as my friend Charlie Harmon was this past Saturday when someone stole his grill during the UK game. In opposing stadiums, vehicle vandalism is likewise a concern.
Because many tailgating injuries can be attributed to some feature of the tailgating area, business owners of parking lots can be on the hook under a theory of premise liability. Even if the injuries were caused by fans fighting, the property owner may be liable for inadequate security.
Often, many off these loss exposures and liabilities are covered under your homeowners’, auto insurance and umbrella policies. So before you head off to your next tailgate be sure to call your trusted insurance agent and run these examples by him or her to see if you face limits or certain exclusions on your policy and if need some additional insurance coverage.
Here are some additional tips to make your tailgate as safe as possible:
‣ Have a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit on hand.
‣ Respect electricity, even from a generator, and run everything off of a GFCI cord; avoid overhead electrical lines when setting up your tailgate.
‣ Be sure to exhaust your generator away from any enclosed spaces, and if you are tailgating from an RV be sure to install carbon monoxide detectors.
‣ When leaving the tailgate, be sure all glass bottles or any other hazards are removed from vehicles’ path.
‣ Hide all valuables from sight in your car and remember to lock them up. Car theft has unfortunately become extremely common during the game itself.
‣ Don’t drive after you’ve been drinking. Tailgating in the hot sun and drinking over a long period of time makes it is easy to lose count of how many you’ve had. Don’t risk driving if you’ve been drinking – it is extremely hazardous and costly. Choose a designated driver early.
‣ Remember grill safety – loose gas hoses and improper lighting can cause a host of problems that put you and tailgaters in danger. An all-too-common mistake is lighting a gas grill while the top is closed, which can result in an explosion. This should go without saying, but … if you’re unfamiliar with your grill’s safety features, read your safety guide before the game.
‣ Extinguish all charcoal grills before leaving them unattended; remember to empty out all charcoal embers and never put a hot grill back into your car.
‣ Avoid bringing any glass containers and bottles to your tailgate to avoid the likelihood of a laceration.
‣ Understand the rules for the tailgating location. Know what items are not permitted and what your restrictions are.
Protect yourself from the sun and be prepared with plenty of water and sunscreen to avoid dehydration, sunburn and sun poisoning.‣ Use caution when entering and exiting the parking area of your tailgate. Go slow…slower than you think you need to be driving because there will be crowds of people, including young children and inebriated adults.
‣ Remember to practice good food safety to avoid people from getting sick or food poisoning.
Be safe, my friends.
Keven Moore works in risk management services. He has a bachelor’s degree from University of Kentucky, a master’s from Eastern Kentucky University and 25-plus years of experience in the safety and insurance profession. He lives in Lexington with his family and works out of both the Lexington and Northern Kentucky offices. Keven can be reached at kmoore@roeding.com.