It’s that time of the year.

You know, highs in the 80s but the air is crisp, finals are just around the corner, the shrubbery is browner than usual and everyone has a Facebook status with some sort of countdown until the big day.

I’m talking about one of the best days of the year, Thanksgiving — as in the national holiday and a fabulous excuse for a four-day weekend (five if you count skipping class on Wednesday to start cooking early).

What Thanksgiving isn’t as well known for, however, is the start to a different kind of season — the season of Holiday Injuries.

Sounds funny, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 6,000 Americans wind up in emergency rooms each year due to injuries related to decking the halls. That doesn’t even include those related to scorching the turkey or duking it out with your cousin Roger.

More seriously, however, is that Thanksgiving is the deadliest day for traffic, topping even the New Year’s holiday. According to Forbes.com, 502 people died in automobile accidents last year on Thanksgiving compared to the 102 traffic deaths that occur on a typical day. This is because, according to AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair, there are 50 percent more drivers on Thanksgiving and because most individuals consume more alcohol on Thanksgiving than on a regular day.

Dr. Abhi Mehrotra, assistant medical director in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, said in a UNC interview that common holiday injuries include lacerations, burns, dietary issues and overexertion.

“Keep knives and other sharp objects out of reach of children — and anyone else who’s likely to be a little too cavalier about carving,” said Mehrotra.

So, even when Aunt Margerie is breathing down your neck about separating the dark meat from the light, keep your cool with the carving knife.

Mehrotra also offered advice for those Thanksgiving innovators who want to have a stab at deep frying the bird — keep a fire extinguisher handy, make sure the turkey is fresh or completely thawed, keep skin covered and lower the turkey slowly into the grease to avoid splashes or spills.

Oven mitts are probably always a good idea, too.

Lastly, spread the face-stuffing out over the entire day instead of in one frenzied 20-minute period. And remember, if you are a diabetic the other 364 days of the year, Thanksgiving probably won’t be giving you a day off, so stick to the diet.

And on Black Friday? Remember your water bottle. And stretch — those 4-a.m.-ers can get a little frisky.

Thanksgiving is the start of the best season of the year. Great food, great family and great friends make for a well-deserved weekend of rest and relaxation.

Just try to keep the holiday mishaps under control.

Kristen is going into a turkey-induced hibernation until Monday. Reach her at kckelle2@asu.edu.