Did you know you can be held legally liable if a shopper trips on your property?

Learn how to map and neutralize cracked concrete, extension cords, and lawn hazards before the crowds arrive.

Hosting a massive Yard Sale in RI means inviting dozens, if not hundreds, of strangers onto your private property. While you are focused on pricing items and managing the checkout table, personal injury attorneys are focused on something else entirely: premises liability.

Under general premises liability laws, homeowners must maintain a reasonably safe environment for visitors. If a shopper trips on a hidden hazard while browsing your tables, you could be facing a devastating homeowner’s insurance claim or personal lawsuit.

Before you open for business, you must conduct a physical hazard sweep of your driveway and yard:

• The Concrete Audit: Walk your driveway and sidewalks. Use brightly colored neon duct tape or orange traffic cones to highlight raised concrete edges, deep cracks, or uneven pavers.

• Neutralize Extension Cords: If you are running power to a table to test electronics or power a fan, never string the cord across a walkway. Tape cords flat to the concrete using heavy-duty gaffer tape, or run them overhead.

• Clear the Lawn Perimeters: Shoppers will frequently back up onto your grass to get a wider view of your tables. Ensure your lawn is completely clear of hidden hazards like garden hoses, sprinkler heads, or discarded children’s toys.

A 10-minute hazard sweep the night before your Yard Sale is the ultimate insurance policy.