14 Things People Treat As Safe That Actually Are Pretty Dangerous

By Krystal Brown

People on Reddit shared things that are thought to be safe but are not.

Beach Swimming

Woman swimming
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Shark attacks are rare, but you still run the risk of getting injured by jellyfish and other tiny creatures. An unexpected rip tide can sweep you away and you might not even be aware of it until you begin to drown. Bacteria in the sand and water is another significant factor that the majority of people overlook. Even swimming at the beach while wearing contacts has the potential to cause a dangerous bacterial infection in your eyes. “Avoid swimming at the beach due to bacteria!”

Medications Such As Acetaminophen And Ibuprofen 

Tablets from bottle
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Take only as much as the bottle instructs. I’ve met individuals who will take a dozen at a time because the pain is excruciating. Believe me when I say that tooth pain is nothing compared to renal and liver failure.

Not Tying Stuff Firmly To Trucks

A big pick up truck
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

“As someone who deals with personal injury, I know how important it is to firmly fasten items on truck beds. It can happen in other circumstances as well, but I generally see it with industrial pickup trucks. On a roadway, these flying or rolling pieces of debris frequently result in multiple-car collisions.

Using A Moisturizer Or Other Creamy Or Soapy Liquids In The Bathtub

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Especially without a mat to prevent slipping. The number of individuals who trip over them is insane, especially in hotels where mats aren’t provided. Very, very, very risky.

Lawnmowers

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

“My mother and I were seated at the window-side of the kitchen table. My stepfather was mowing the lawn. The glass on the exterior of the oven broke following a loud pop. On the opposite side of the room, at least 15 feet separated us from the stove. It was struck by a rock with a diameter of roughly an inch. It had passed through two sheets of glass, the space between my mom and I, the distance from us to the stove, and that glass! One of us would have died if the distance had been one foot to the left or right. When somebody is cutting the grass, I always order the little ones to enter the house.

Shovelling

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Every year when I was a child, I would hear about individuals passing away from heart attacks while shovelling snow, and that stuck with me. Now that I am an adult, I rather contract it to professionals who will take all the precautions to keep safe or wait the season out.

General Head Injuries

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

“You generally won’t have it examined if you fall and bang your head but feel fine. Take yourself to a hospital, even if you feel OK. Never play around when there could be head damage.

Plastic 

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Sure, become angry—we’ve been taught to depend on it after all! I’m not some granola-crunching preacher with a platform. I’m just a scientist telling you to think about every piece of plastic in your life. You don’t want to know how much damage plastic can do to your life if it falls on the wrong side of usage.

Tick Bites

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Surely a tick, which is a little bug, can’t cause that much harm. It can, indeed! Use insect repellent to avoid them, look for ticks after stepping outside in tall grass, remove them (slowly and completely), keep an eye on the bitten spot, and see a doctor. Not all tick bites result in the bullseye rash, so don’t wait until you notice one. To track whether and how the tick bite spreads, trace a circle around it with a permanent marker.

Riding A Bicycle Without A Helmet Or While Using A Phone

Image Credit: Shutterstock

It’s crazy how many teens I see riding without hands and glancing down at their phones while wearing no helmets. Furthermore, they are all on busy streets. Someone will be injured for sure! Please don’t use your phone while driving and use your helmet.

Diving

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Diving, especially from heights, into any body of water, but particularly into lakes or seas. As a specialist educator, I had three students in my class who had permanent lifetime physical and even psychological issues due to traumatic brain injury.”

Boating And Drinking

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

The sheer amount of people who would never consider drinking and driving but disregard the same logic when boating amazes me. The same reasoning that applies to riding motorcycles or ATVs without a helmet also applies to boating and jet skiing.

Ladders

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Although people often perceive them as reliable, simple, and strong, all it takes is one little move in the wrong direction to end up dead, crippled, or at best only slightly hurt. The only thing that prevented me from falling last year while using a ladder was my quick instinct to hold onto the tree I was collecting apples from.