5 Swimming & Pool Safety Facts and Myths

1. Children Are at Highest Risk of Drowning: 

FACT: While 8 in 10 drownings are over age 14, children ages 1-4 have the highest drowning rates, according to the CDC.  In that young age group, nearly 1 in 3 deaths from accidental injury come from drowning.  For every death by drowning in those age 14 and under, there are four visits to emergency rooms for near-drownings, which can result in lifelong injury, including permanent brain damage.  

2. Boys and Girls are Equally at Risk of Drowning:

MYTH: 4 in 5 drowning victims are boys or men, according to CDC drowning statistics.  Research has shown that boys and men are more likely to be more over-confident in their swimming abilities, and younger adults are more likely than older adults to be over-confident.

3. Most Adult Drownings Happen Away from Home:

FACT: For older teens and adults, age 15 and up, most drownings occur in natural settings like lakes, rivers and oceans.  Alcohol is  a factor in nearly half the drownings in this age group, according to the CDC.

4. Life Jackets Should Even Be Worn on Short Trips:

FACT: Whether you're hopping in a canoe for a short paddle around a quiet lake, or jetting off on a motor boat for the day, remember that life jackets save lives.  After boating accidents, 90% of people who drown were not wearing life jackets, according to the CDC.  In 2009, there were 736 deaths and more than 3,300 injuries in boating accidents.

5. Swimming Pool Chemicals Can be Hazardous:


FACT: Poison Control Centers receive as many as 10,00 reports of exposure to chlorine in pool chemicals annually, with 2 in every 5 cases involving children under the age of 6, according to the CDC.  Another 4,000 cases are reported for respiratory and eye irritation, usually from improper storing, mixing or using of pool chemicals.