If you live in Las Vegas or anywhere in Nevada during the summer, chances are you choose to escape the heat by jumping in the pool, hitting the lake, or enjoying other water activities. If you and your loved ones have plans to enjoy the water this summer, our Las Vegas personal injury attorneys want to remind you about the importance of staying safe.
Drowning Accident Statistics
Drowning accidents are a very real concern, especially child drowning , and they can happen anywhere water is present, including the lake, private and public pools, and bathtubs. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC):
- Drowning is a leading cause of preventable injury among children.
- Drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death in the U.S.
- An average of 10 people in America die from drowning each day.
Source: Drowning Facts, CDC
Who is most at risk?
Children are particularly vulnerable to drowning accidents, with the CDC reporting that children between the ages of 1 and 4 have the highest drowning rates. Young children may not understand how to swim or what to do in an emergency. They also can quickly lose their footing in slippery pool surfaces and cannot call for help if they fall into a body of water.
Other individuals at an increased risk of unintentional drowning include:
- Older adults, who may have weakened physical abilities.
- People with certain medical conditions, such as seizures or heart problems.
- People who consume alcohol or drugs before getting into the water.
Safety Tips
Safety is the key to avoiding risk of drowning and other preventable accidents that occur in and around water. To help you keep yourself and your children safe when cooling off this summer, we’ve provided a few helpful safety tips:
- Know How to Swim – Make sure you and your children have a solid grasp on swimming skills, as it can significantly reduce fatal drowning risks. There are many community programs that offer summer swimming lessons.
- Use a Pool Fence – Pool fences – for both private and public pools – can keep unattended children from playing in or around swimming pools. Experts recommend four-sided pool fences.
- Supervise – Always make sure children are supervised when playing in or around water. Using the buddy system is also smart, and it’s more fun than swimming alone. When supervising, make sure children walk around the pool, have life jackets, dive only into deeper water, and don’t get out of hand when rough-housing in the pool.
- Learn CPR – Learning CPR is a smart decision for anyone who enjoys water activities, and especially for parents of younger children. Studies have found that the faster CPR is administered, the better the outcome for drowning victims.
- Drink Responsibly – Alcohol plays a role in many preventable injuries and unintentional drowning deaths. Drink responsibly if you’re supervising children around water, driving a boat, or enjoying any other water activities.
Keep Your Swimming Fun and Safe with Shook & Stone
Our personal injury lawyers at Shook & Stone hope you and yours have a safe summer and enjoy the water while keeping these few important safety tips in mind. Having represented thousands of injured victims and families throughout the years, we’ve handled many pool accident and drowning accident cases – and we’re available to help anyone in need. Contact us for a free consultation.
