For most of us, summer means swimming, road trips, backyard barbeques, and generally enjoying the great outdoors.

While most of the time these activities are perfectly safe (not to mention lots of fun), they can pose health hazards.

So as part of ABC Science's How to Summer guide, allow us to help you be summer smart — here's our round-up of what to keep in mind to be prepared for hot weather, water hazards and other potential holiday pitfalls.

Keep your cool

With summer comes warmer weather — weather that leads many Australians to suffer mild to serious heat-related stress and illness every year.

While the health impacts of heat depend on a few things (including humidity levels and how fit you are), the human body works hard to maintain a core temperature of about 37 degrees Celsius.

During heatwaves it has to work extra hard, and adequate preparation is essential, especially for people at high risk: the elderly, babies, young children and people with health and mobility problems.

It's important to stay hydrated (even if you don't feel thirsty), wear lighter clothing, and keep out of the sun.

If you don't have air conditioning at home, try to spend the day somewhere that does, such as a library, cinema or shopping centre.

The early warning signs of heat stress are feeling hot, flushed in the face and fatigued. If you're unable to cool down with rest or hydration, then it's important to seek medical attention.

And remember to keep an eye out for your family, friends and neighbours — and don't forget your pets.

Go easy on the booze

For some of us, summer means indulging in a little more booze than usual. While it's important to unwind in the holidays, be careful not to overdo it.

Research from Vic Health shows the busiest months of the year for emergency services responding to alcohol intoxication are November, December and February.

Australia's national alcohol guidelines recommend drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion to reduce your risk of alcohol-related injury.

The red figures show the number of standard drinks in different serving sizes of some popular alcoholic drinks. ( Australian Government )

It's also important to remember that the effects of alcohol consumption don't necessarily wear off with a few hours of sleep. It's your liver's ability to process alcohol — which can take some time — that sobers you up.

If you're planning to drive after a big night of drinking, make sure you give your body enough time to process the alcohol you've consumed before you get behind the wheel.



Drive safely

Road safety campaigns are ubiquitous during summer months, and for good reason.

Between November and January, there is a 25 per cent increase in trauma presentations at hospitals and 30 per cent of road deaths for the year occur during this period.

Speeding, fatigue and alcohol are the three main causes of death and injury on our roads.

The message, then, is simple: stick to the speed limit, avoid driving tired, and sober up before you get behind the wheel.

It's not just road accidents that cause broken bones and head injuries, either. Popular outdoor activities such as dirt bike riding and water skiing can sometimes cause serious harm.

Be sure to wear the right safety gear and take the necessary safety precautions, especially when children are involved.



Swim between the flags

Between July 2018 and June 2019, 276 people drowned in Australia, and a further 578 experienced a non-fatal drowning incident.

According to Royal Life Saving's National Drowning Report, nearly half of these drowning deaths occurred in summer.

At the beach, it's important to swim between flags (where possible), and if you can, learn how to spot a rip.

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But drownings don't just happen at the beach (or in backyard pools) — almost a third of people in 2018-19 drowned in rivers, creeks and streams.

When it comes to water safety, it's important to actively supervise children, learn first aid skills, and where necessary, wear a life jacket.

We also know alcohol and/or drugs is a contributing factor in many drowning deaths, so it's best to avoid these before going in the water.

Watch out for creepy crawlies

Speaking of water safety, how equipped are you to protect yourself from a jellyfish sting?

If you're stung by a bluebottle, you should gently wash the sting — and get rid of any remaining tentacles — with seawater, before immersing the affected area in hot water for 20 minutes. If you can't access hot water, apply a heat pack or ice.

Box jellyfish stings, on the other hand, are much more serious. If you get stung, call triple zero (000) and apply plenty of vinegar. If vinegar is not available, wash with sea water.

Away from the water, there are a few things to keep in mind when bushwalking.

Taking compression bandages while bushwalking is an important precaution against snake bite. ( Unsplash: Olia Gozha )

If you or a friend is bitten by a snake, sit them still while you apply a compression bandage to the wound, and call for medical assistance. (More on handling snake bites here.)

If you've got a stinging insect allergy, it's important to always wear long sleeves and pants (in the bush) — and to carry your EpiPen and action plan.



Be careful of spoiled food

While food poisoning can strike at any time, the risk tends to increase during warmer months.

That's generally because the bacteria that causes grief in our gut often thrives in foods left at room temperature for too long.

"For every degree that the temperature goes up, food poisoning cases increase," Lydia Buchtmann, from Food Safety Information Australia, told the ABC.

"You also get more cases over the summer because you're entertaining more, so you're cooking for larger numbers of people, you're putting the fridge under stress, overloading it, and you're cooking for several generations of people."

The risk of food poisoning can be significantly reduced if food is stored, prepared and cooked properly.

If you want to keep food cold, store it below 5C, and if you want to keep it hot, above 60C is best.

In addition to washing and drying your hands — and your chopping boards and utensils — thoroughly, it's important to keep raw and cooked foods separate (when storing and preparing), and to not put cooked food on a surface raw meat was on.