Risk of getting hurt goes up during the summer

Lots of people are taking advantage of the sunny days to enjoy the outdoors and get some yard work done.

Fun in the sun can be dangerous if you are not careful.

Q13 talked to the experts at PEMCO Insurance about who is most at risk of getting hurt around the summertime.

"We've long known about the 100 deadliest days of summer," said Erin Gross, the Territory Manager for Community Agents. "So, that time between Memorial Day and Labor Day where crashes peak for young drivers, but the surprising part is incidents of injury also increase for younger kids and for potential DIYers."

Gross said emergency room visits at Harborview Medical Center go up by about 20 percent during the summer months.

Almost half of all injury-related deaths among kids 14 and younger happen during the summer.

Some of the biggest risks for injury are right at home:

There's also a greater risk of insect stings. If someone has a serious allergy, PEMCO recommends you keep an EpiPen handy and know how to use it.

The biggest danger for kids and adults are falls.

For younger kids, make sure windows are blocked open no more than four inches to prevent a child from falling out. Screens are designed to give way immediately to avoid trapping people in a fire and those are not strong enough to even hold a toddler.

For older kids and adults, use a bike helmet on every ride. The same goes if you are on a skateboard or go horseback riding, use a multi-sport helmet.

For Do-It-Yourselfers, check the ladder before you climb up and don't lean out too far.

The hot, summer days can also have an effect on pets especially when you take them for a walk.

"Vets do say that if you can't hold you hand to the pavement for more than 10 seconds, it's too hot for your pet to be out there walking without risking injury to their paws," said Gross.

Certain breeds of dogs can't pant as much as others to cool themselves off, so they could have a heat emergency.