As you navigate through your everyday activities, the delicate nature of life may not always be at the forefront of your thoughts. The reality is, life can be present one moment and vanish the next. What’s remarkable is the subtle oversight of even the smallest actions, which could tip the balance between existence and non-existence. When participants on an online Q&A platform were questioned about seemingly inconsequential choices with potentially catastrophic outcomes, their responses provided startling insights.

1. Wrongly Using Cutting Devices

When using a knife or similar device, a medical professional reminds everyone to always cut in the direction going away from your body, not towards your body. A slip of the hand or push in the wrong direction could result in a lethal cut to a body organ or a major artery.

2. Dirty Lint Catchers

If you have a clothes dryer in your home, failing to clean the lint catcher after every load is a potentially deadly fire hazard. The high temperatures from the dryer make the lint combustible, which can catch fire at any time.

3. Driving Through Flood Waters

One of the most dangerous things a driver can do is to drive through flood waters of any depth, someone writes. By misjudging the massive power of moving water, you risk stalling and possibly drowning as the waters rise or your car is swept into deeper water.

4. Mixing Grapefruit and Medications

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interfere with certain medications, causing them to not work as they should by releasing more of the drug into your system. Another healthcare worker advises that this is a hazardous interaction, so you should check with your doctor to ensure you can eat and drink products made from grapefruit.

5. Not Checking Before Crossing

Several contributors admonish against walking across a street without looking both ways first, even if you, as the pedestrian, have the right of way. While drivers are always supposed to be alert, it’s not unusual for them to be distracted. You can’t assume they’ll see you crossing the street, so exercise caution.

6. Shaking a Vending Machine

No one likes losing money in a vending machine, especially when it’s your last available change. But shaking it in the hopes of getting your money’s worth is dangerous and deadly as they can tip over and fall on people, killing them. No snack is worth your life.

7. Swimming Against Rip Currents

Swimmers caught in a rip current can drown when they try to swim to shore against the underwater current, pulling them away from the beach. The best approach is to swim parallel to the shoreline until you’re free from the current, then swim toward the shore at an angle away from the rip current, articulates a user in the discussion.

8. Untreated Tooth Infections

Tooth infections, even minor ones, are more than just a nuisance, somebody in the discussion acknowledges. Bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream and enter the cardiac system. This can cause life-threatening diseases to the heart. If you have a tooth infection, seek dental or medical treatment immediately.

9. Not Using Turn Signals

Failing to use turn signals while driving a vehicle is dangerous for drivers and a grave threat to the safety of pedestrians. Suppose a driver is planning to make a right or a left turn. In that case, other vehicles on the road and pedestrians won’t be aware of the driver’s actions if they don’t signal that they’re turning in either direction. It’s a small step that can save lives.

10. Using Old Extension Cords

Extension cords are great when you’re short on power outlets, but using frayed and outdated ones is a fire and electrocution risk. Inspecting them periodically and replacing old cords with new ones is best.