Summer Dangers That Can Kill You

With the weather warming up, many of us are ready to explore the outdoors and embrace all that summer has to offer.

From swimming in public pools to grilling on your outdoor barbeque, being bit by a deadly mosquito and suffering from sun poisoning, summer has shown to be more dangerous than we thought.

There are many risks you need to be aware of and precautions you must take in order to ensure your safety. For instance, wearing sunblock to avoid sunburn, knowing when the current is to strong and staying out of the water, and becoming aware of the deadly plants and pests that could kill you.

Although winter is known for its dangerous icy roads, some of us fail to realize that summer driving also calls for major concern. People are taking vacations (The Top Family Travel Destinations in the U.S.) which are causing increased congestion on the road. More people are riding around on motorcycles and teens are hitting the road in excitement.

Before you decide to rush into your summer fun, make sure you educate yourself on the summer dangers first.

The sun is extremely powerful. It sends off intense heat and when your body is unable to handle it, overheating and heat stroke may occur. Heat stoke is a life threatening emergency. It has the ability to cause rapid pulse, possible loss of consciousness, confusion and rapid, shallow breathing.

Summer is approaching, which means the Fourth of July is right around the corner. Many people enjoy watching beautiful firework displays, while others enjoy setting off the displays. According to News Week, some fireworks incidents turn deadly. "In 2014, nine people died from eight different fireworks related accidents, including two who were not the lighters." 

Depending on where you live, individuals wait year-round to experience the adrenaline pumping sports summer has to offer. Unfortunately, some of these sports have been shown to be deadly. Cliff jumping, surfing, whitewater rafting and scuba diving are just a few.

Many people flock to public swimming pools to cool off during the summer months. All of these people, in one circulating body of water calls for increased illness and disease. According to the CDC, recreational water illness (RWI) can be caused by the germs in contaminated swimming pools. They explain, "RWIs include a wide variety of infections, such as gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections." Make sure that you enter into a pool that is properly filtered and chemically treated at all times.

The sun is shining, beers are flowing and the barbecue is going. Sounds like a great summer day... but unfortunately, barbecuing calls for extreme danger. According to a study, "between May and September 2014, the gas emergency service provider attended 30,000 dangerous incidents, including gas leaks, fires, minor explosions and over 9,500 cases related to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning." The majority of these incidents were due to outdoor gas appliances including gas barbecues.

Coming in contact with poisonous plants can ruin your entire summer. The most common plants include poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. However, plants such as Belladonna, Rosary Pea and Wolfsbane have enough power to actually kill you. (See: The Dangers of Camping and How to Avoid Them)

Lying in the sun is extremely relaxing, but too much sun is hazardous. When you feel your skin heating up and you start seeing redness occur make sure you put on some extra sunblock or completely remove yourself from the sun. Exposure to too much sun can lead to sun poisoning. This can lead to dehydration, dizziness, chills, fever and pain; all of which may require immediate hospitalization.

Summer pests can be extremely dangerous. There has been a rise in mosquito-borne illnesses and insect bites. You may think of mosquitos as just an annoying pest that will bite you and make you itch, but they can actually be very dangerous.  In the U.S., the West Nile virus is becoming increasingly common. Other diseases mosquitos transmit include dengue fever, malaria and chikungunya. Almost all of these diseases result in flu-like symptoms and some can be deadly if a doctor is not seen immediately.

Cleaning our homes is dreadful, but it's something we must do (See: 15 Ways Your Home is Making You Sick). Summer calls for moisture and dangerous bacteria's. Mold is formed by moisture and can be found on a variety of surfaces. According to the CDC, "exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects." Some of these include, throat irritation, coughing/wheezing, skin irritation, eye irritation, lung infections and obstructive lung disease.

Sharks, rip currents, polluted water, sea creatures and sun burn are all dangerous beach hazards. Surfing has reported many deaths due to wipe-outs, and sea creatures such as jellyfish have caused deaths due to their lethal sting. Also, according to National Geographic, "common man-made pollutants that reach the ocean include pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, detergents, oil, sewage, plastics, and other solids." These pollutants can cause serious health issues.

Imagine kids in pools, in the sea or caught in rip currents. A quick online search will show you dozens of such tragic incidents – a 5-year-old boy drowned on holiday in Spain; a 10-year-old girl who died on a Norwegian cruise line ship and a 3-year-old who died after he was found unconscious in a Disney resort swimming pool are just a few. Rip currents are known as the ocean's deadliest trick. The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that the annual number of deaths due to rip currents on the country is more than 100. Also, summer drinking and swimming is common and although it sounds like a great deal of fun, it is extremely unsafe. Data from the CDC shows that among adolescents and adults, alcohol use is involved in up to 70 percent of deaths associated with water recreation and about 20 percent of reported boating deaths.

Thunderstorms are common during the summer months. According to research, lightening has the ability to both injure and kill. If lightning strikes a building and gets into wiring or water pipes it can kill someone who is taking a shower or even talking on the phone with a chord. (See: 10 Places You're Most Likely to Be Struck by Lightning in the U.S.)