Many positive things are transpiring as we appear to be moving at least to some degree out of the COVID-19 pandemic. With that said, there are a number of downsides to life reopening and moving back to a state of more normality. One of these problem areas involves children, swimming, and other aquatic activities.
During the five-year period prior to the 2020 calendar year – the pandemic period – there was a noticeable increase in child drowning accidents. The trend did abate last year as a result of the myriad of restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic. However, the rate of child drowning accidents is yet again on the increase and expected to be so throughout 2021 and into 2022 at an even faster pace for reasons that include those associated with the lockdowns and restrictions associated with the pandemic.
Fatal Child Drowning Accident Trends
As mentioned a moment ago, the trend in recent years has been for an ongoing increase in child drowning accidents. The following statistics involving the drowning fatality for children under the age of 15 are illustrative:
- 2016 – 392 fatal child drowning accidents
- 2017 – 395 fatal child drowning accidents
- 2018 – 404 fatal child drowning accidents
This data was accumulated by the Consumer Product Safety Administration and involved fatal child drownings in pools and spas. These statistics do not include the additional number of children who lost their lives in drowning and other aquatic accidents at beaches and similar locations beyond pools and spas.
Of these drowning accidents, 75 percent involved children under the age of five. 83 percent of these drowning deaths occurred in residential pools.
Lack of Available Swimming and Lifesaving Instruction in 2020
Experts in the realm of water and aquatic safety believe that one of the primary contributing factors fueling what appears to be a rise in the rate of fatal child drowning accidents in 2021 is the lack of available swimming lessons and life saving instruction during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. People simply could not access suitable swimming lessons for their children nor could the obtain necessary lifesaving instruction as a result of pandemic restrictions across the nation.
With people eager to begin recreating again in what many hope is the tail end of the coronavirus pandemic, some have engaged in shortcuts when it comes to swimming lessons and lifesaving instruction. This includes what seems to be a rather broad swath of people who are not obtaining pickup swimming lessons nor lifesaving refresher instruction.
Tips to Keep Children Safer When Near Water
There are a number of key tips to employ to enhance the safety of a child when near water:
- Never leave a child near water unsupervised
- Install a proper fence and alarm around pool area
- Teach your children to swim
- Learn CPR
- Keep working safety gear and equipment near pool
When it comes to teaching a child to swim, experts believe that a youngster is capable of really learning to swim beginning at about the age of five. With that said, younger children seem to be capable of picking up some basics that might prove invaluable should they fall into a pool or other body of water.
Losing a child in a fatal drowning accident is an incomprehensible tragedy. If you find yourself in such a situation, the team at The Doan Law Firm is here for you. A caring, experienced, tenacious drowning accident lawyer from our firm is available any time that is convenient for you.
We’ve established a drowning accident lawyer hotline at (800) 349-0000 that is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, including all major holidays. A nationwide law firm, we can arrange an initial consultation with a drowning accident attorney at any one of our 40 offices in the United States. We can also meet with you at your home or arrange a virtual consultation online as well. The Doan Law Firm never charges a fee for a consultation and case evaluation with a compassionate, dedicated drowning accident lawyer.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee guarantee to you. Our firm will never charge an attorney fee unless we win your case for you. A drowning accident attorney from our firm will be tirelessly committed to fighting to obtain justice in your case and the compensation you need and deserve in the aftermath of a tragedy.
