Memorial Day Safety: 9 Essential Tips To Protect You and Your Loved Ones

Memorial Day safety starts with protecting yourself and others while honoring the nation’s fallen soldiers. To reduce risk, follow Memorial Day safety tips, such as remaining vigilant when driving or boating, practicing safe grilling habits and moderating how much alcohol you drink. Of course, you also need the right insurance policies — including home insurance and auto insurance — so a Memorial Day accident doesn’t result in a devastating financial loss.

Memorial Day safety involves preventing car accidents, grilling fires, drowning incidents, heat-related illnesses and other disasters associated with Memorial Day celebrations and weekend activities.

Keep reading to learn more about staying safe on Memorial Day, including the biggest risks you need to watch out for, Memorial weekend safety tips and how insurance can help.

On This Page

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  1. Practice Safe Driving During Holiday Travel

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  2. Prevent Fire and Burn Hazards

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  3. Be Safe Around Water

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  4. Use Fireworks Responsibly

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  5. Prevent Heat-Related Illness

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  6. Avoid Alcohol-Related Accidents

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  7. Handle Food Safely at Outdoor Gatherings

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  8. Prepare for Bad Weather and Emergencies

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  9. Secure Your Home When Traveling

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  Memorial Day Safety Checklist

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  Why Memorial Day Safety Matters

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  Common Disasters on Memorial Day

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  Memorial Day Safety at a Glance

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  How To Celebrate on Memorial Day

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  FAQs

1. Practice Safe Driving During Holiday Travel

As many drivers hit the road to travel or meet up with friends and loved ones on Memorial Day, there may be a greater risk of getting into a car accident. For this reason, you need to follow travel safety tips like these during Memorial Day weekend:^[1]

1. Get plenty of rest before driving long distances, and make regular stops to avoid exhaustion
2. Observe speed limits and wear your seat belt while driving
3. Abstain from cell phone use or other types of distracted driving
4. Slow down and drive cautiously in construction zones
5. Maintain a safe distance between yourself and other cars
6. Make sure your headlights and windows are clean so you can see clearly
7. Be proactive about filling up your tank so you don’t run out of gas
8. Pull over as far away from the highway as possible in the event of a mechanical breakdown
9. If you are going on an extended road trip, tell someone you trust about your plans, including the route you are taking and when you expect to arrive at your destination

Given the elevated risk of car accidents, it’s important to make sure your auto insurance policy includes sufficient coverage going into Memorial Day. Your liability coverage can take care of other people’s medical or car repair bills if you are responsible for a crash, while coverage types like personal injury protection and collision insurance can cover your own expenses.

2. Prevent Fire and Burn Hazards

Grilling safety is crucial to mitigate the risk of fire damage or burn injuries during your Memorial Day cookout. Here are some of the most important tips to follow:^[1]

1. Never leave a barbecue grill unsupervised while it is on
2. Do not grill inside your home, your camper or any other enclosed area
3. Keep children and pets a safe distance from the grill at all times
4. Position your grill in a clear space away from anything that could easily catch fire, such as your house, your deck and trees or other plants
5. Maintain a safe distance from the grill while actively cooking by using long-handled utensils
6. Avoid using a charcoal starter fluid if the grill’s coals have already ignited
7. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using your grill

Your homeowners insurance policy includes multiple coverages that can step in if there is a grilling fire on your property. For example, dwelling insurance covers fire damage to your home, and personal property insurance covers fire damage to your belongings. You may also be able to file a claim on your personal liability insurance if you are held responsible for a fire that injures or kills one of your guests.

3. Be Safe Around Water

If you intend to spend time in a swimming pool, at the beach or on a boat this Memorial Day, you need to keep the following water safety tips in mind:^[1][2]

1. Actively supervise children while they swim
2. Verify that your pool is surrounded by a fence to minimize the odds of accidental drownings
3. Always swim with a buddy, and stay near a lifeguard whenever possible
4. Wear a life jacket approved by the United States Coast Guard if you plan to be on a boat or in deep water
5. Take a boating safety course, and have your boat checked by professional safety inspectors before Memorial Day
6. Keep a VHF radio and locator beacons on your boat in case of an emergency

Boat insurance can help pay for your expenses or someone else’s after a boating accident. Meanwhile, the personal liability coverage portion of your home insurance policy may take effect if someone is injured or drowns in your swimming pool. In addition, you need a health insurance plan that can cover emergency room visits and other medical treatments in case anyone in your household is injured over the holiday weekend.

4. Use Fireworks Responsibly

In 2023, fireworks started over 30,000 fires, resulting in an estimated 15 fatalities and more than $100 million worth of property damage.^[3] Additionally, fireworks-related injuries necessitated more than 14,000 emergency room visits in 2024. To prevent serious property damage or injury that would require a claim on your homeowners or health insurance, be sure to follow these Memorial Day fireworks safety tips:^[4]

1. Don’t allow children to play with sparklers or other types of fireworks
2. Confirm that fireworks are legal in your state before purchasing or using them
3. Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose nearby in case you need to put out a fire
4. Light fireworks one at a time, and quickly step away to a safe distance after lighting one
5. If a firework fails to ignite properly, do not pick it up or try to light it again

5. Prevent Heat-Related Illness

Although health insurance can cover health care related to heatstroke and similar illnesses, it’s best to take steps to avoid these medical issues in the first place. If you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors this Memorial Day, follow these tips to lower your risk of experiencing a heat-related illness:^[5]

1. Drink plenty of water
2. Cool off by spending some time in an air-conditioned building, if necessary
3. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing and a wide-brimmed hat to keep yourself cool
4. Apply sunscreen with an ample sun protection factor (SPF), and reapply sunscreen every two hours that you remain outside
5. Try to schedule your outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day, such as the morning and early evening
6. Never leave children or pets alone in a hot car

6. Avoid Alcohol-Related Accidents

Many of the risks associated with Memorial Day may be exacerbated by excessive drinking. As a result, you should refrain from drinking alcohol if you intend to grill food, go swimming, use fireworks or operate a boat or motor vehicle. If you expect to drink alcohol away from your home this Memorial Day, be sure to ask a trusted friend or family member to be your designated driver or plan on using public transportation or a rideshare service.

Keep in mind that you could be held liable if you serve alcohol to a guest at your home and they later cause property damage or bodily injury to someone else while intoxicated. However, your home insurance policy may provide some coverage in these situations, with most insurance companies offering between $100,000 and $300,000 worth of coverage for social host liquor liability claims.^[6]

7. Handle Food Safely at Outdoor Gatherings

To prevent foodborne illnesses, you need to practice the following food safety tips during your Memorial Day barbecue:^[7]

1. Store food in a cooler until you are ready to cook it
2. Have a separate cooler for drinks so guests can repeatedly open it to get drinks without exposing food to warm outdoor air
3. Separate uncooked meats from cooked foods or foods that will be eaten raw to avoid cross-contamination
4. Thoroughly clean your produce
5. Wash your hands before cooking
6. Use a food thermometer to make sure food has been thoroughly cooked before serving it
7. Refrigerate perishable leftovers within two hours of cooking — or within one hour if the outdoor temperature is higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit

If a guest gets food poisoning from something they ate at your outdoor gathering on Memorial Day, your personal liability insurance can cover their medical bills — along with your legal expenses if they sue you.^[8] That said, if you or anyone else in your household gets sick on Memorial Day, your medical care would instead be covered by your family’s health insurance plan.

8. Prepare for Bad Weather and Emergencies

While some disasters are unpredictable, it’s still helpful to be prepared in case of inclement weather or other serious emergencies. Here are some of the ways you can prepare yourself and your loved ones in case of a Memorial Day emergency:^[1][9]

1. Keep an emergency kit in your car at all times
2. Carry life preservers with you if you take a boat into the ocean so you can help someone who falls overboard without endangering yourself
3. Make sure someone in your group knows how to perform CPR if necessary
4. Be prepared to call 911 in the event of an emergency you cannot handle on your own
5. Check weather forecasts leading up to Memorial Day
6. Cancel any outdoor activities you have planned if there is supposed to be a thunderstorm
7. If there is supposed to be rain, avoid spending time near a floodplain or any other area with a high risk of flooding
8. Do not try to drive through floodwaters

Even if a sudden storm ruins your Memorial Day plans, the good news is that homeowners insurance may cover numerous types of storm damage, including damage from lightning, wind, hail and falling objects, like tree branches. However, flood damage to your property is usually excluded from coverage unless you purchase a separate flood insurance policy.

Car insurance can also cover several types of storm damage to your vehicle — including flood damage — as long as your policy includes comprehensive coverage.

9. Secure Your Home When Traveling

Many families take their first summer vacation of the year around Memorial Day weekend, but it’s important to make sure your home remains secure while you are away. Examples of steps you can take to protect your home while you travel for Memorial Day include the following:^[10]

1. Contact your preferred mailing service and ask it to hold your packages until you get back to deter potential porch pirates
2. Ask a friend, family member or neighbor to house-sit for you — or to at least come by often enough to make the house look lived in
3. Confirm that all of your doors and windows are locked before you leave
4. Consider investing in a smart home device or another type of home security system that allows you to remotely lock your doors or turn your lights on and off
5. Refrain from posting about your trip on social media until after you’ve returned home

Home insurance can offer protection in case your home is vandalized or broken into while you are on vacation during Memorial Day weekend. However, many policies enforce sublimits for jewelry and other types of valuables, so you may not be fully covered if someone steals a high-value collection from your home — unless you invest in scheduled personal property coverage or a standalone valuables insurance policy.^[11]

Memorial Day Safety Checklist

Below, you’ll find a recap of the main steps you need to take to stay safe this Memorial Day and how insurance can help in the event of a covered loss:

1. Practice safe driving during holiday travel
2. Prevent fires and burn hazards
3. Be safe around water
4. Use fireworks responsibly
5. Prevent heat-related illness
6. Avoid alcohol-related accidents
7. Handle food safely at outdoor gatherings
8. Prepare for bad weather and emergencies
9. Secure your home when traveling

Why Memorial Day Safety Matters

Several of the most common Memorial Day activities come with the risk of serious property damage, bodily injury or even death, meaning it is especially important to be vigilant and follow standardized safety procedures to prevent catastrophic losses. Memorial Day has historically brought about an increase in accidents and acts of misconduct among civilians and military personnel alike, so being disciplined is necessary to stay safe and honor the holiday.^[12]

What To Do if an Accident Happens on Memorial Day

If you are involved in any sort of accident on Memorial Day, it’s important to create a safe distance between yourself and the accident scene — if possible — and call 911 if anyone involved needs medical attention. In addition, if the accident is covered by one of your insurance policies, you need to document the event by taking pictures or videos, talking to witnesses and requesting a police report so you can file a claim with your insurance carrier.

Common Disasters on Memorial Day

Drownings, car accidents, fires and alcohol-related incidents are some of the most common disasters on Memorial Day. The Coast Guard recognizes National Safe Boating Week during the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend — underscoring the high risk of recreational boating accidents during this holiday.^[2] Also, May has the fourth-highest rate of drowning deaths among all months — only behind the three summer months.^[13]

There were 465 traffic deaths across the nation during Memorial Day weekend in 2023 — an increase of more than 50 deaths on average compared to the weekends immediately before and after the holiday period.^[14] Meanwhile, May has the third-highest rate of grilling fires — behind only July and June — so it’s important to stay alert to prevent a burn injury or house fire during your Memorial Day cookout.^[15]

Memorial Day has the seventh-highest rate of alcohol consumption among U.S. holidays, with one survey finding that 17% of men and 11% of women binge drink on Memorial Day.^[16] Widespread alcohol consumption can make many of the previously mentioned risks even more pronounced. For example, impaired drivers accounted for 39% of driving fatalities during Memorial Day weekend in 2023 — compared to only 30% across the entire year.^[14]

Memorial Day Safety at a Glance

• Common risks: Memorial Day weekend is associated with a high rate of boating accidents, drownings, grilling fires and drunk driving collisions, so following proactive safety tips is key.
• Cooking safety: Along with keeping grills away from flammable objects and structures, it’s important to wash your hands and avoid cross-contaminating your foods to minimize the odds that a guest will get sick at your Memorial Day barbecue.
• Water safety: Life jackets, responsible adult supervision and the buddy system are great tools for keeping people safe while swimming or riding in a boat.
• Health tips: You need to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen and light clothing to reduce the odds of heatstroke while you are outside on Memorial Day, and it’s crucial to exercise caution when dealing with fireworks to avoid burn injuries.
• Emergency preparedness: Having an emergency plan in place can help you avoid major losses in the event of a natural disaster or some other emergency on Memorial Day.
• Home security tips: Locking your doors, asking a friend to make your house look lived in and investing in a home security system can help keep your property safe while you travel for Memorial Day.
• Accident response: If an accident or disaster does happen on Memorial Day, you need to get yourself and others out of harm’s way and document relevant information for your insurance claim, if applicable.

How To Celebrate on Memorial Day

The most meaningful way to celebrate Memorial Day is to honor U.S. veterans — such as by participating in a graveside ceremony and placing flowers or miniature American flags on headstones. National proclamations also invite religious individuals to pray for permanent peace and encourage all Americans to observe a two-minute moment of silence at 11:11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on Memorial Day.^[17][18]

Of course, there are several other popular Memorial Day activities that aren’t directly related to the original meaning of the holiday, including going to the beach or hosting a cookout with friends and family. Additionally, Memorial Day may be a good time to buy a new car, since vehicle prices often drop toward the end of each month and dealerships frequently offer special holiday discounts.^[19]