As the number of Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 increases and the weather warms, 71% of Americans plan to attend or host a barbecue according to a new survey from LendingTree research site ValuePenguin.com. Four in five Americans either own a grill or use a community grill. With this sort of prevalence, it’s natural that grilling injuries commonly occur. The survey also found that Americans aren’t doing enough to avoid grilling related hazards and injuries, but the more than 10,000 grilling-related injuries reported every year underscore the importance of grill safety.
Key Findings:
- It’s the summer of barbecues as more Americans are vaccinated against COVID-19. 71% of Americans plan to attend or host a summer barbecue. And 80% of Americans either own a grill or use a community grill. With this sort of prevalence, it’s natural that grilling injuries commonly occur.
- Gen Z, Men are more likely to suffer from Grilling related injuries. 13% of Americans who own or have access to a grill have reportedly experienced a grilling-related accident. Gen Zers (ages 18 to 24) are the most likely to have had a grilling-related accident, at 19%. Men are 55% more likely than women to have experienced a grilling-related accident
- Grilling while drunk is fairly common, and those who do so are 4X more likely to get hurt. 37% of grillers say they have fired up the barbecue while drunk, and those who have are four times as likely to have been in a grilling-related accident. Millennial (age 25 to 40) and Gen X (age 41 to 55) Americans are most likely to grill while drunk.
- Food safety hazards abound at barbecues. 22% of Americans believe they’ve contracted food poisoning at a barbecue. Nearly one in three millennials and 29% of Gen Zers recall getting sick from a barbecue — the most affected age groups.
- Americans aren’t cooking their meat properly. Two in three grillers don’t use a meat thermometer to verify that their meat is safe to eat or serve. 6 in 10 grillers do not cut the meat open to verify if it’s cooked sufficiently.
- Barbecuers also aren’t keeping their Grills clean — especially those who share it with others. 47% of Americans admit they don’t clean the grill after every use, which is recommended. That jumps to 59% among those who use a shared community grill, compared with 44% who have their own.
Enjoy your grilling season but act responsibly to protect you and your guests.
