How dangerous are Fourth of July fireworks? Here's a look at the numbers.

As Independence Day rolls around, bookended by days of bangs and pops from professional and store-bought fireworks, it's worth a reminder to play it safe before lighting off that fuse.

We're in the middle of the Consumer Product Safety Commission's annual window for studying the safety and injury impact of fireworks. The numbers, while down slightly, still signal a need for safety reminders.

“While it is a great American tradition to enjoy fireworks around the 4th of July, it is important to remember that all fireworks, even sparklers, pose dangers to consumers," Alex Hoehn-Saric, chairman of the CPSC, said in the agency's annual statement on fireworks safety. "The safest way to view fireworks is to watch professional displays.”

Fireworks present dangers of physical injury, particularly to the hands and face, and environmental concerns in drier areas of the country.

Last year, fireworks accounted for an estimated 9,700 injuries resulting in hospital emergency room visits.

Pet stress:How to keep your pets calm during Fourth of July fireworks

More sky lights:Drone light shows turn night skies into a canvas. Why you don't want to miss them

How many people were injured or killed by fireworks in 2023?

Roughly 9,700 people were injured by fireworks in the U.S. in 2023, according to the report. This represents a third straight year of declines in injury numbers after a record 15,600 injuries in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the eight deaths that occurred in 2023 – all male victims ranging in ages 15 to 51 – five deaths were determined to have resulted from misuse of fireworks.

What body parts are commonly injured by fireworks?

In the 2023 study period, which ran from June 16 to July 16, hand and finger injuries made up more than a third of the 6,400 fireworks injuries that resulted in emergency room visits. Injuries above the neck – eyes, ears, face and head – accounted for a combined 41% of those injuries.

Of all the injuries in the study period, 42% of them were burn-related.

Fireworks sales, 1998 to 2023

According to figures from the American Pyrotechnics Association, spending on consumer-grade fireworks dipped slightly last year, while spending on professional display fireworks continued growth from the 2020 low caused by the pandemic when public gatherings were limited.

SOURCES 2023 Fireworks Annual Report, Consumer Product Safety Commission