Texas drowning accidents involving the death of children reached 14 by June 1, 2021, a trend that is reflected in other locations across the United States. A common theme is present in nearly everyone of these fatal drowning accidents. Many fatal drowning accidents involving children could have been avoided had the youngsters involved been properly supervised.
At The Doan Law Office, we’ve nearly lost track of the number of times we’ve placed blog posts discussing the essential elements of water safety, including the vital importance of ensuring that children near water always are supervised properly. The reality is that reminders about pool and water safety warrant regular recitation, particularly when it comes to ensuring that our children are kept as safe as possible when in or near water.
Child Drowning Death Rate Year-by-Year
Taking a look at the child drowning death rate year-by-year further illustrates the dangerous combination of unsupervised children and water. These are Texas stats. Having said that, the fatal child drowning accident rate in Texas is similar to states across the country.
Texas child drowning death rate by year:
- 2020 – 80 child drowning deaths
- 2019 – 87 child drowning deaths
- 2018 – 91 child drowning deaths
- 2017 – 77 child drowning deaths
- 2016 – 106 child drowning deaths
Drowning can and does Happen in Any Amount of Water – Literally
The statement that a person can drown in nearly any amount of water – particularly children – may seem like a cliché. Oft-repeated turn of phrase or not, it’s true.
Deadly drowning accidents in Texas underscore the threat a lack of supervision presents to children. These incidents are not unusual to the Lone Star State by any means. Over the course of the past five years, unsupervised children have died by drowning in pools, lakes, rivers, and streams, but also in:
- Bathtubs
- Fountains
- Buckets
- Fish tanks
Strategies to Lower the Risk of Child Drowning Deaths
There are a number of steps that must – must – be taken in order to lower the very real risk of child drowning death. These include:
- Always supervise children near water
- A pool must be fenced, complete with a self-closing and self-latching gate that opens outward (with latches out of reach of children)
- Hot tubs should also be fenced in a manner similar to a pool
- Keep backdoors and pet doors locked to prevent children from accessing a pool or hot tub
- Fully alarm a pool area, including the gate, deck, and including a water alarm that detects movement
Begin Water Safety Training and Swimming Lessons at an Early
Experts on water safety affirm that children should be taught how to swim as early as possible. With that said, child development professionals believe that most children are capable of learning to swim by the age of five. Some are able to learn swimming basics earlier, some later.
With that said, even younger children can be instructed about basic water safety before they reach the age of five. Indeed, even is a child below the age of five isn’t quite ready to really learn how to swim, a younger youngster likely is apt to pick up a few essentials that might save his or her life if an accidental fall into water occurs.
If you’ve experienced the unthinkable tragedy of losing a family member in a drowning accident, the caring, compassionate legal team at The Doan Law Office is here for you. You can connect with our firm 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by calling us at (800) 349-0000. We are a nationwide law firm, with 40 offices located across the country. This includes a number of hometown offices throughout Texas, out firm’s headquarters being in Houston.
Not only can we schedule an initial consultation with a drowning accident lawyer at any one of our offices, we can also meet with you at your home or at any location that works best for you. This includes a virtual appointment online. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm drowning accident lawyer.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee promise to you. Our firm will never charge you an attorney fee unless we win your case for you.
