The American Pyrotechnics Association, an industry trade group, tracks injuries relative to sales. While use of fireworks doubled from 1997 to 2007, injuries per 100,000 pounds dropped 40 percent.

That’s good news, of course, but it doesn’t mean much to the 9,800 adults and children who ended up in emergency rooms in 2007 because of fireworks, and it means even less to the 11 people who died.

As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, when fireworks injuries peak, it’s a good idea to know both the laws for your state (five states ban all consumer fireworks; five more allow only sparklers), and the best ways to stay safe around all those incendiary devices.

Read the rest of this post on our Safety blog, and learn more about fireworks safety from the American Acadmey of Pediatrics.