You can’t always avoid a trip to the ER—think heart attacks, raging infections, and freak accidents. But when it comes to injuries—which account for nearly 30% of ER visits—doctors say many can be easily prevented, whether by taking a few precautionary measures or just slowing down and moving more intentionally.

Below, ER doctors share the mistakes behind the bulk of the injuries they see and their advice to avoid the pain, time, and money of an ER trip.

1. Tripping on an uneven surface or down the stairs

Many of the falls ER doctors encounter aren’t the result of obviously risky activities like rock climbing or bungee jumping, but rather everyday stumbles while doing errands or commuting. One reason why? You’re in a hurry, but on autopilot, Mark Morocco, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, tells SELF. A common example—which I did in December—is flying down the stairs, distracted, and missing the bottom step. Take it from me, no work email, text, or few seconds of spared time is worth the fractured foot.

There’s also the “wearing the wrong shoes for the situation” scenario, Mark Conroy, MD, an emergency medicine and sports medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. Say, you’re navigating gravel in stilettos, hiking in slides with zero traction, or—a particular pet peeve of ER doctors—traversing snowy or icy patches in Crocs. Simply sporting the right footwear can help keep you upright. As can carrying fewer things at a time so you can always clearly see what’s ahead of you, Dr. Conroy adds. Trying to haul a ton in a single trip just ups the chance that you misstep over a curb or threshold, sending the items and your own body tumbling toward the ground.

2. Slicing a finger or hand in the kitchen

ER doctors know all too well how little it takes to seriously hurt yourself with a kitchen knife. A split-second distraction or quick slip of the wrist, and bam, you’ve chopped off a fingertip (or worse). It’s the reason Dr. Morocco recommends anyone who wields kitchen knives also wear kevlar or nitrile cut-resistant safety gloves.

Some knife injuries are so common they’ve earned nicknames, such as “bagel hand” and “avocado hand,” which occurs when you’re holding the item in one hand and using the other to slice in the direction of your palm, Dr. Conroy says. Instead you want to use a bagel cutter or, in the case of an avocado, place it on a nonskid cutting board and carefully slice all the way around the pit. After twisting the two halves apart, gently scoop out the pit with a spoon—never attempt to spear or smack it out with a knife, Dr. Conroy says. Same goes for any fleshy fruits with central pits or seeds. Be careful to navigate around these components and move slowly when cutting anything with a mix of hard and soft textures, Rade Vukmir, MD, professor of clinical emergency medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine, tells SELF.

And a quick note on mandolines, which elicited an audible groan from multiple of the experts we spoke with: Avoid if possible. “They can create beautiful uniform slices, but it’s very difficult to keep your fingers away from the slicing platform,” Jeff Baker, DO, an emergency medicine physician in Palm Springs, California, tells SELF.

3. Having a mishap on a bike, e-bike, or scooter

Two-wheeled vehicles are behind a wide swath of ER admissions, ranging from serious scrapes and fractures to concussions and other traumatic head injuries. Dr. Morocco has even seen people “cheese-grater” their whole bodies.

The biggest danger is riding them on city streets with high speed limits, Dr. Baker says. E-bikes and scooters might not go as fast as four-wheeled vehicles, but the chance of a dangerous accident or collision is higher.

If you’re going to hop on any of these vehicles, experts stress wearing a helmet—yes, even on scooters. You might think it looks goofy, but it could spare you brain damage from an accident. Same goes for foam-padded safety glasses, like the kind motorcyclists wear, Dr. Morocco adds. Just trust him: You really don’t want a bug or piece of debris from the road to zip into one of your eyes mid-ride. Also, steer clear of road surfaces that are grated up or uneven, and make sure you’re as visible as possible to fellow riders and drivers (wear bright colors, add lights to the vehicle). And whatever you do, don’t text or look at your phone while riding, Dr. Vukmir says. You’ll be way more capable of swerving away from an errant car or obstacle if you’re focused and aware of your surroundings.

4. Falling off a ladder or step stool

Using a ladder to get to your roof, clear out a gutter, or cut high limbs off of trees is basically asking for trouble, Dr. Baker says. Falling six or eight feet is enough to break bones, he adds. It’s best to hire someone for the job, if you can; otherwise, be sure the ladder is structurally intact and on stable ground, and have someone there with you—not to hold it up (that won’t end well) but in case you do fall and need help, Dr. Vukmir says.

Inside your home, a step stool or step ladder is, deceivingly, among the riskiest things you can own, Dr. Morocco says. “People use them to reach the stuff at the top of the refrigerator or a shelf and fall off all the time.” Some advice: Be sure to use one that’s high enough for the job without having to stand on the top step, position it exactly below the thing you’re grabbing, and try to keep one hand on the ladder or a stable surface at all times.

5. Getting debris in your eye

A tiny piece of metal or wood flipping into your eye can be supremely painful, potentially scratching your cornea or even causing an “open globe injury, which is a puncture to your eye itself,” Dr. Conroy says, and can lead to vision loss. It typically happens to people doing a DIY activity that involves drilling, grinding, or cutting without wearing eye protection, Dr. Vukmir says. Other common victims: those who bypass eyegear while mowing the lawn, blowing leaves, or doing other yard work. In any of these scenarios, all it takes is a simple pair of plastic safety glasses to avoid the trauma and the ER trip altogether, Dr. Morocco says.

Related:

• 5 Running Injuries Every New Runner Should Know About
• I Got Hit by a Car During Marathon Training. This Is What Inspired Me to Run Again
• When to Go to Urgent Care vs. the ER

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