Whether you’re working in a busy trauma bay or a community urgent care setting, being proactive about injury trends and patient education can help reduce harm—and keep summer a little safer for everyone.
As temperatures rise and daylight stretches longer, emergency departments across the country brace for a familiar pattern: the annual summer surge in injury-related visits. From backyard barbecues to lakeside adventures, summer is a season filled with physical activity, celebration—and unfortunately, a notable increase in preventable accidents and trauma.
While many of these incidents stem from leisure activities, their clinical consequences are serious. Injuries from falls, burns, water accidents, and recreational sports spike between June and August, placing added pressure on emergency providers to respond quickly and effectively. Children, teens, older adults, and individuals engaging in high-risk outdoor activities are particularly vulnerable during this time, often presenting with injuries that could have been mitigated with early education or precaution.
This article explores the most common types of injuries seen in the ER during summer, including orthopedic trauma, burns, near-drownings, sports injuries, and heat-related illnesses. It also offers clinical tips for prevention counseling, accurate documentation, and how decision support tools can help streamline care during peak injury season. Whether you’re working in a busy trauma bay or a community urgent care setting, being proactive about injury trends and patient education can help reduce harm—and keep summer a little safer for everyone.
👉 Bonus Resource: Don’t miss the free downloadable infographic at the end of this article—a quick visual guide you can share with staff or patients to highlight the top summer injuries and how to prevent them. See the infographic snippet below for a preview!
Understanding the Summer Injury Spike
Summer is synonymous with recreation, travel, and celebration—but for clinicians, it also marks the start of a high-risk season for preventable injuries. Emergency departments often see a notable uptick in trauma-related cases during the warmer months, driven largely by shifts in behavior and environmental exposure.
Why Summer Increases Risk
Several factors contribute to the seasonal rise in injuries:
- Increased Outdoor Activity: With more daylight hours and favorable weather, people are more likely to participate in sports, swimming, biking, hiking, and home improvement projects. These activities, while beneficial for physical and mental health, inherently carry a higher risk for accidents—especially when safety precautions are overlooked.
- Higher Alcohol Consumption: Summer holidays like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day often involve increased alcohol use, which impairs judgment, coordination, and reaction time. Whether behind the wheel, handling fireworks, or operating recreational equipment, intoxication significantly raises the risk of injury.
- Greater Exposure to Water, Fire, and Vehicles: Lakes, pools, and beaches become hotspots for both recreation and risk. Similarly, fire pits, grills, and fireworks add a layer of burn and blast-related danger. Increased travel also means more time on the road, often leading to higher rates of traffic-related trauma.
- Extreme Heat and Sun Exposure: Rising temperatures can exacerbate heat-related illnesses, particularly in vulnerable populations. Prolonged sun exposure without proper hydration or skin protection can quickly lead to heat exhaustion, sunburn, or worse.
Key Populations at Risk
While anyone can be affected by summer injuries, certain groups are more vulnerable:
- Children and Teens: This group is especially prone to injury due to unsupervised play, water-related activities, and organized sports. Bicycles, skateboards, trampolines, and playground equipment all carry potential for fractures, head trauma, and lacerations.
- Older Adults: Heat intolerance, medication side effects, and balance issues increase the risk of falls, dehydration, and heat stroke. Many seniors may also delay seeking care or be unaware of early warning signs, increasing the severity of outcomes.
- Outdoor Workers and Vacationers: Those working in construction, landscaping, or agriculture often endure long hours in direct sun with limited access to hydration or shade. Tourists engaging in unfamiliar activities (e.g., hiking, boating, or using rental equipment) are also more likely to experience accidents or injuries due to inexperience.
Individuals Under the Influence: Alcohol and drug use not only contribute to impaired decision-making but also reduce physical awareness and increase the likelihood of risk-taking behaviors, especially near water or when operating machinery or vehicles.
Understanding these trends and risk groups allows healthcare providers to anticipate common injury patterns, improve triage, and proactively engage patients in conversations about seasonal safety. In the next section, we’ll break down the specific injuries most commonly seen in summer ER visits and how to address them efficiently and effectively.
👉 Sneak-peek! See a snippet of our Summer Injury Infographic below—and grab the full PDF at the end of this article to share with your team or patients.
Most Common Summer ER Visits
While summer brings longer days and more time for physical activity, it also brings a predictable surge in seasonal injury patterns. Understanding the types of trauma most often seen in emergency departments during these months can help clinicians prepare, triage effectively, and offer meaningful prevention guidance during routine visits. Below are five of the most common injury categories that spike in frequency during the summer season.
Trauma and Orthopedic Injuries
Falls, motorized vehicle collisions, and recreational accidents are among the top reasons for ER visits during summer. Bike crashes, ATV rollovers, and scooter or skateboard accidents are especially common among children and adolescents. Adults, meanwhile, may sustain injuries from outdoor work, yard maintenance, or recreational travel.
Typical injuries include:
- Sprains and strains
- Fractures and dislocations
- Head injuries and concussions
Prevention Tips:
- Encourage consistent use of helmets, wrist guards, and knee pads, especially for children.
- Remind families that safety gear is most effective when worn properly—and every time.
- Offer handouts or verbal reminders about supervision and appropriate activity levels based on age and ability.
Burns and Firework-Related Injuries
Around the Fourth of July and throughout grilling season, burn injuries increase significantly. Fireworks can cause severe hand, facial, and eye trauma, while grills and open flames are responsible for many second- and third-degree burns—often from contact burns or flare-ups.
In addition, sunburn remains an underappreciated cause of ER visits, especially in patients with fair skin or prolonged exposure.
Prevention Tips:
- Discuss safe grilling and fireworks handling—keeping a safe distance, using proper tools, and avoiding alcohol during use.
- Remind patients to use broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen, reapplying every two hours (or after swimming).
- Educate families on the “stop, drop, and roll” technique, and keep burn first aid supplies readily available.
Drowning and Near-Drowning
Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional injury death in children, especially those under five. Summer sees a marked rise in incidents involving pools, lakes, and beaches, many of which occur in the absence of adequate supervision.
Secondary drowning—where fluid in the lungs causes respiratory distress hours after submersion—also remains a critical but often missed diagnosis in pediatric and adolescent patients.
Prevention Tips:
- Advocate for swimming lessons, especially in communities with limited access.
- Encourage installation of four-sided pool fencing and self-latching gates.
- Stress the importance of constant, distraction-free supervision when children are near water.
Sports and Recreational Injuries
Organized and informal sports are in full swing during the summer, leading to a rise in:
- Muscle strains
- Overuse injuries
- Concussions and lacerations
These are especially common among youth athletes and weekend warriors who may train intensely without proper conditioning or hydration.
Prevention Tips:
- Counsel patients and parents on hydration strategies and rest days.
- Educate coaches and families on concussion protocols and return-to-play guidelines.
- Encourage use of properly fitting gear and gradual ramp-up periods when starting new activities.
Heat-Related Illnesses
When temperatures climb, heat exhaustion and heat stroke become significant risks—particularly for outdoor workers, athletes, older adults, and those on certain medications (e.g., diuretics, beta-blockers, or anticholinergics).
Signs of heat illness can be subtle at first—fatigue, nausea, dizziness—but can progress quickly without intervention.
Prevention Tips:
- Emphasize the importance of hydration before, during, and after outdoor activity.
- Recommend shade breaks, light clothing, and scheduling activities during cooler parts of the day.
- Educate on early warning signs and how to take immediate action.
Understanding these seasonal injury trends gives providers the opportunity to intervene early, educate effectively, and prepare for increased caseloads. In the next section, we’ll explore how clinicians can leverage brief encounters to deliver injury prevention messages and ensure proper documentation that supports both patient safety and medico-legal protection.
Clinical Tips for Prevention Education and Counseling
Emergency providers and primary care clinicians are often the first and only line of defense against repeat injuries during the summer season. Even brief patient encounters present valuable opportunities to reinforce safety practices and reduce future risk—especially when education is tailored to the patient’s age, activity level, and lifestyle.
The Clinician’s Role in Prevention
You don’t need 20 minutes to make an impact. A simple question during a routine visit or follow-up—such as, “Are you planning any travel, sports, or outdoor work this summer?”—can open the door to meaningful injury prevention guidance. Tailor recommendations based on the individual:
- Families with young children can benefit from reminders about water safety, helmet use, and constant supervision.
- Teens and athletes may need counseling on hydration, concussion awareness, and safe training habits.
- Older adults should be advised on fall prevention in the heat, proper footwear for yardwork, and medication-related heat sensitivity.
Offering age-appropriate safety handouts, digital resources, or even brief verbal reminders makes prevention feel personal and practical—not generic or overwhelming.
Using the Right Language
Effective counseling hinges on how the message is delivered. Avoid alarmist language that might feel condescending or provoke denial. Instead, frame safety as a form of personal empowerment and preparedness.
Rather than saying, “You shouldn’t let your kids near a pool without a fence,” try, “One of the best ways to protect your kids is by setting up barriers like fencing—it adds peace of mind and reduces risk.”
Use real-world examples sparingly and tactfully to increase relevance without overwhelming the patient. Emphasize three core themes in every conversation:
- Supervision: Who is watching?
- Preparation: Do you have the gear, hydration, or support you need?
- Response: Do you know when to seek medical attention?
Even two minutes of thoughtful conversation can help prevent an ER visit.\
👉 Preview alert: The infographic snippet below is taken from our Summer Injury Infographic. Click the image below to download.
Documentation and Risk Management Considerations
Accurate and comprehensive documentation is just as important as the care itself. In busy clinical settings, clear notes serve as both a legal safeguard and a continuity tool for other providers.
What to Document and Why It Matters
For summer-related injuries, be sure to include:
- Mechanism of injury: What happened, how, and where?
(e.g., “8-year-old fell from bicycle while turning sharply on gravel at park.”) - Timing and setting: When and under what conditions?
(e.g., “Occurred at 2:30 PM outdoors during soccer camp.”) - Contributing factors: Include medications, dehydration, pre-existing injuries, or lack of safety equipment.
- Family/patient education: Note that safety instructions, warning signs, or discharge resources were provided.
This level of detail not only helps in follow-up care but also mitigates liability and ensures proper documentation in the event of re-injury or escalation.
Using Clinical Decision Support Tools (e.g., PEPID)
Clinical decision support tools like PEPID provide quick, evidence-based guidance at the point of care—especially valuable during the fast-paced summer injury season. Whether managing minor injuries or rapidly triaging acute conditions, PEPID equips clinicians with the resources they need to make informed decisions in real time.
PEPID includes:
- Medical flowcharts to support clinical pathways and decision-making
- Extensive monographs on common summer-related conditions, such as sunburns, heat-related illness, head trauma, and dehydration
- Clinical calculators and dosing tools to streamline emergency care
- Symptom-based search functions to quickly access relevant diagnostic and treatment information
In high-volume settings like the emergency department or urgent care, having immediate access to structured, up-to-date guidance can improve diagnostic accuracy, speed up treatment, and support consistency in care delivery. By integrating seamlessly into clinical workflows, tools like PEPID help providers stay efficient, confident, and focused on patient outcomes—even during the most fast-paced times of year.
Final Thoughts
Summer may signal vacations and backyard barbecues for many, but for emergency clinicians, it’s often the busiest—and most preventable—season of the year. From burns and fractures to near-drownings and heat-related illnesses, the volume and variety of trauma-related visits consistently rise with the temperature.
Fortunately, many of these injuries can be avoided with timely patient education, early risk assessment, and a proactive approach to seasonal care. By recognizing the most common summer injury patterns and addressing them head-on—whether during a routine checkup or in the acute care setting—providers can help reduce repeat visits, improve outcomes, and promote safer habits in their communities.
Tools like PEPID further support this mission by offering real-time access to clinical monographs, flowcharts, and condition-specific guidance right at the point of care. Combined with clear documentation and a focus on prevention, clinicians are well equipped to turn summer’s challenges into opportunities for better, more informed care.
Final takeaway: When it comes to managing the summer injury spike, preparation, communication, and clinical precision are the most effective tools in your toolbox.
Looking for a quick reference?
We’ve created a free, printable infographic that highlights the most common summer injuries and practical prevention tips clinicians can use in patient education or staff training. It’s perfect for break rooms, bulletin boards, or handouts during summer safety campaigns.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 2). Drowning facts. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/data-research/facts/index.html
Children’s Health of Orange County. (n.d.). Top summer injuries that bring kids to the emergency room. CHOC Health. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://health.choc.org/top-summer-injuries-that-bring-kids-to-the-emergency-room/
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, July 18). Hyperthermia. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22111-hyperthermia
Çomçalı, B., Ceylan, C., Altun Özdemir, B., Ocaklı, S., Pehlevan Özel, H., & Çınar Yastı, A. (2022). Seasonal effects on the mechanisms of burn injuries. Turkish journal of surgery, 38(1), 5–10. https://doi.org/10.47717/turkjsurg.2022.5377
Kim, S. H., Sul, Y. H., & Kim, J. S. (2021). Effect of weather variables on the incidence of trauma: A retrospective study at a single tertiary hospital center for 4 years. Medicine, 100(43), e27623. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000027623