37% of Americans Admit to Barbecuing Drunk -- And They're 4 Times More Likely to Get Hurt

NEW YORK, May 27: 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. 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. According to Andrew Hurst, Insurance Data Analyst at ValuePenguin.com, most Americans worry about the financial liabilities associated with Grilling. He said,"66% of the Americans we surveyed said they weren't sure how their home or renters insurance treats grilling-related accidents. Fortunately, most standard home and renters insurance policies provide coverage against fire damages, as long as you maintain and service your grill." He adds, "It's also possible to be the target of a lawsuit if a guest at a barbecue you are hosting is injured and they decided to press charges. The liability portion of your homeowners insurance provides some financial protection by covering the costs of a lawsuit — but you can consider an umbrella policy that offers higher amounts of liability coverage if you want extra financial protection." To view the full report, visit: https://www.valuepenguin.com/grilling-mistakes-and-injuries ValuePenguin.com commissioned Qualtrics to conduct an online survey of 2,050 U.S. consumers from May 3-6, 2021. The survey was administered using a non-probability-based sample, and quotas were used to ensure the sample base represented the overall population. All responses were reviewed by researchers for quality control. About ValuePenguin.com:. ValuePenguin.com and its parent company, LendingTree® (NASDAQ: TREE), have a common mission: to empower consumers with tools, information, and resources to help them make smarter, more informed financial decisions. For more information, please visit www.valuepenguin.com, like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @ValuePenguin.