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As temperatures increase, so do outdoor activities -- but fun can turn to tragedy if someone is untrained or unprepared for what could happen.
Accidents can happen anytime. People can take proper safety precautions, like obeying the speed limit, wearing a seatbelt and other safety measures, but they can't prevent another person from driving recklessly and hitting their vehicle.
"During the warm months, we see a lot of motorcycle crashes. We see a lot of motor vehicle accidents. I've seen some boating injuries, things like that," said Kayla Keen, RN, injury prevention coordinator, UPMC Trauma Services.
"Obviously, one of my big focuses is water safety right now, because drowning is something that can be prevented. You can't always prevent somebody from hitting your car," she added.
Typically, most people equate summer with spending more time in the water, but if you have young children or even an adult who has not had swimming lessons, cooling off in the pool or boating on the river can become very dangerous very quickly.
According for the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is one of the leading cause of death in children ages one through four.
In Pennsylvania, from 2020 to 2021 there were just under 300 drownings, Keen shared.
"I know Pennsylvania is a big state but the majority of them, I would say, could have been prevented," Keen said.
"Make sure that if kids are swimming -- like 0 to 18 (years old) -- (they are) swimming with supervision," Keen said.
"Also wear colors that can be easily seen like neon orange or neon pink, because you don't realize that underwater, if you wear a white swimsuit, it's very hard to see that person. Even if there is a lifeguard, for them to identify that somebody is under the water, it's a lot easier with bright colors," she said.
Parents should consider enrolling their children in swim lessons because, Keen said, "knowing how to swim is one of the best defenses against drowning."
A good rule to follow is do not dive into shallow water or even water where you aren't certain of the depth, to avoid head or spinal injuries.
Avoid alcohol and drugs when swimming or boating because they impair judgment, coordination and definitely increase the risk of accidents and drowning, she said.
In warm weather, the hospital sees an increase in injuries involving motorcycles, boating and water-related accidents. They've even seen an equestrian accident. And, of course there are the homeowners who fall off a ladder while performing maintenance on their properties.
"I can't tell you how many patients I've had that fell off a ladder," Keen said.
"Obviously with the motorcycle crashes and the motor vehicle accidents, we've had a lot of broken bones, open fractures, head injuries if they're not wearing a helmet while riding their bike," she said.
The accident may not have been preventable, but the severity of the injury could be lessened by taking those precautions.
"A lot of people think, 'Oh, it will never happen to me,' right? … Understand that it could happen to anybody and just sitting down and talking to them and letting them know the importance of preventing these things and using the precautions that are put in place in order to keep everybody safe," Keen said.
Summer also is the time for kids on bicycles. Keen said it said parents should make sure they wear their helmets and know the rules for safe bicycle use and don't forget the sunscreen, no matter what activity they're doing if it's outside.
The heat also brings with it the possibility of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, especially for those working outside.
"The biggest thing with that is identifying it early. The earlier the better so we can get the patient hydrated and control their temperature. There's a lot of things that go into that -- a lot of different teams come into play depending on how serious it is," Keen said.
It's also important to check on people who are vulnerable to dehydration and heat stroke, such as those with medical conditions and the elderly.
"Check on your loved one to ensure they're drinking enough water," she said.
Blurry vision, dizziness and infrequent trips to the bathroom all could be signs of dehydration, Keen noted.
"Stay hydrated. Know your limits. If you're tired, stop, take a break," she said.
"Trauma is any injury that could have been prevented," Keen said.