Summer of Safety - Tips to Stay Out of The ER This Summer

As the temperature rises and people trade the indoors for the outdoors, the United States sees a noticeable uptick in emergency room visits and medical emergencies. In fact, nearly a quarter of all ER visits occur between June and August, making these months the busiest for hospitals nationwide. But what makes summer so hazardous, and what can you do to make you and your loved ones safer?

Summer is Trauma Season

Summer is often referred to in emergency rooms as “trauma season”*, with hospital and trauma center visits surging by 25% to 33% compared to other times of the year. The combination of more time spent outdoors, increased physical activity, and exposure to environmental hazards all contribute to these increases. Common reasons for ER and specialty hospital visits include heat-related illness, dehydration, water-related accidents, and burns from outdoor cooking or fireworks.

Top Causes of Summer visits to ER and Trauma Centers:

Sprains and Broken Bones: Children are particularly vulnerable during the summer, with activities like swimming, biking, trampolining, and playing on monkey bars leading to frequent injuries.
Heat and Dehydration: With temperatures soaring, heat exhaustion and dehydration are major concerns, especially during prolonged outdoor events or exercise especially for the oldest and youngest members of our community.
Water-Related Accidents: Pools, lakes, and beaches are popular destinations, but they also pose risks for slips, falls, and drowning and near-drowning incidents.
Burns and Firework Injuries: July 4th and 5th see some of the highest injury-related ER visits of the year, primarily due to firework accidents and outdoor grilling mishaps.

Bites, Stings, and Vector-Borne Illnesses

From late July through early fall, encounters with bees and wasps become more frequent. Many people discover their allergies to these insects only after being stung, making encounters especially dangerous. Unfortunately, tick bites are also on the rise. In April 2026, ER visits for tick bites were more than double the typical rate for that time of year, signaling a potentially intense summer for vector-borne illnesses**. Mosquitoes also pose a vector-borne illness threat with West Nile virus, the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States, that results in more than 1,300 severe cases affecting the central nervous system. You might not think of things that fly or crawl to be dangerous, but they account for a large portion of all of summer’s emergencies. Snake Season also dovetails with Trauma Season and requires a bit of additional preparation to stay safe.

Summer of Safety Tips:

Stay hydrated -drink plenty of water, especially during outdoor activities.
Use sunscreen -protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
Use insect repellent -Avoid bites and stings that carry vector borne illness.
Supervise children around pools and playgrounds.
Learn CPR and Stop The Bleed- be prepared to render aid.
Wear protective gear -helmets for biking, life vests for swimming, and closed shoes for hiking.
Check for ticks after spending time outdoors, and seek medical attention if bitten.
Be careful with fireworks -follow safety instructions and keep spectators at a safe distance.
Know your allergies -carry an epinephrine auto-injector if you have a known allergy and seek immediate help if stung.

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