Of the four seasons, spring is my favorite with everything beginning to awaken and renew after a long winter.

Trees and flowers are blooming; the birds are chirping and wild animals are awaking from hibernation.

Spring is also the time when Americans begin to spend more time outdoors exercising, playing sports, swimming, bicycle riding, camping, grilling and having picnics.

Even though spring brings warmer weather, it also brings with it many dangers.

According to the Center for Disease and Control Prevention, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 1 to 14, and the fifth leading cause for people of all ages.

Sixty percent of these deaths occur in swimming pools, 9.2 percent occur in boating accidents and 43 percent occur in natural water, according to 2007 data from the CDC.

According to National Safety Council 2011 statistics, 40.2 percent of children ages 5-14 are injured in swimming accidents, 32.5 percent of children in the same age group are injured playing softball and 32.1 percent of adults, ages 25-64 are injured in bicycle riding accidents.

There are several ways to remain safe this spring as you venture outdoors:

· Join a local swim club or YMCA and take swimming lessons;

· Join a boating club and take lessons;

· Never let children near an open grill when cooking or leave the grill unattended;

· When grilling, never leave uncooked meat where children can eat it;

· When bicycle riding always use a helmet, elbow and knee pads;

· If running or hiking alone, always have a fully charged cell phone for emergencies;

· Always keep plenty of water or sports drinks available if you are going to be outdoors for extended periods of time;

· Keep a basic first aid kit with supplies, such as antiseptic wipes, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment and bandages on hand when outdoors.

· Use sunscreen and bug repellent, especially on children to protect them from sunburn and bug bites; and

· Just as we enjoy the warmer weather, so do ticks, so don't forget to protect those furry family pets.

Spring is a wonderful time to start enjoying the outdoors, however, accidents can happen, so protect yourself and loved ones from injuries that could ruin the rest of your summer.

Susan Bryant

editorial assistant

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press