Nearly 400 children under age 15 drown in swimming pools and hot tubs in the U.S. each year, according to recent research from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Three in every four of these tragic accidents involve a child under the age of 5. Half of swimming-related injuries and 85 percent of deaths take place at someone’s home.
Because drowning is still the number-one cause of death for young children, the CPSC and dedicated Waco, Texas personal injury lawyers recommend that families teach children to swim. Signing children up for swim classes and teaching them at home are both options for many families. Because kids learn best when there’s an element of fun, add regular swim lessons to their summertime routine to build skills and encourage family togetherness.
In addition to teaching kids to swim, always practice swimming pool and hot tub safety by following the guidelines below:
- Designate a responsible adult to watch children whenever they are in or near the water. This adult should not have other responsibilities besides watching the kids.
- Learn CPR and basic first aid in case an accident happens.
- Make sure all pools and hot tubs are completely surrounded by proper fences. Every access point into the pool area should have a lock. Use safe drain covers inside the pool to help prevent limbs, hair, or clothing from becoming trapped in the drain and holding a swimmer underwater.
- While pool toys can be lots of fun, be sure to read the packaging carefully. Never use a pool toy such as a floatation or rescue device unless it is specifically designed for the purpose, and keep non-child-safe toys away from small children.
The acclaimed Texas swimming injury lawyers at Brown Trial Firm, PLLC wishes all of you a safe and ultimately fun summer vacation!