Boardwalk injuries — people running into each other and such — account for the most injuries and accidents at the beach.

Head injuries and broken arms and legs from boardwalk run-ins total about 210,000 in a year, according to the U.S. Lifesaving Association.

What to do? Go slow and look out for each other, experts say. And to minimize injuries if you do crash, wear the right protective gear for your sport.

For bicyclists who are involved in about 600,000 injuries a year, that means wearing a proper helmet.

For inline skaters, for whom the injury rate is estimated at 100,000 annually, the International Inline Skating Association recommends the following gear to skate smart: helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. The same gear can protect those on skateboards or scooters.

The skating association also says to master the basics of striding, stopping and turning; skate under control at all times; announce your intentions — "passing on your left," for instance — and always yield to pedestrians.

And, if you're just planning a good old-fashioned stroll along the boardwalk, be sure to wear shoes and avoid one of the most common beach injuries: splinters in unprotected feet.

Wearing shoes while on the boardwalk, as well as on the beach, can also prevent three additional top-ranking injuries: foot burns from stepping on hot coals left behind from someone's barbecue; cuts from treading on broken bottles from last night's party; and stubbed toes suffered en route from the parking lot to the beach.