Thursday, July 31, 2014

Sharks, Bacteria: Which Do Beachgoers Fear the Most?

By Samantha-Rae Tuthill, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

July 31,2014; 9:05AM,EDT

Sharks may worry many beachgoers, but are actually a very small threat. (chargerv8/iStock/Thinkstock)

Warmer summer waters can bring an array of threats to the beaches. With more populations heading to the coast for vacation, more people are susceptible to inclement beach weather conditions. Temperature rises in the ocean can also bring an increase in sea creatures such as jellyfish and sharks, and allows for the growth of bacteria and the spread of infections.
We asked our fans to tell us in a poll which summertime beach threat caused them the most trepidation. Sharks took a significant lead, despite the fact that there is a greater risk of being injured or killed in a boating accident than being attacked by a shark. Rip currents, which are one of the most deadly aspects of the ocean, only took 20 percent of the votes.

Which Summer Beach Threat Worries You Most?

We asked AccuWeather fans which common summertime beach fear was most worrisome to them. Here are the results:

However, despite the strong lead sharks took in the poll, they are not the most deadly aspect of summer at the beach, with only 0.5 deaths in the United States annually. Here are the average annual impacts in the U.S. for each:

The most common beach threats mentioned by the "other" voters were sunburn and skin cancer.
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Have questions, comments, or a story to share? Email Samantha-Rae Tuthill at SamanthaRae.Tuthill@accuweather.com, or follow her on Twitter @Accu_Sam. Follow us @breakingweather, or on Facebook and Google+.

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