One of the most widely enjoyed recreational activities from Florida to California and in every state in between is swimming. People of nearly all ages and from every walk of life enjoy taking a proverbial dip in a residential, hotel, community swimming pool. With indoor pools as well as outdoor heated pools (and states with mild climates from January through December), people are swimming the year around. Noting the ubiquitous nature of swimming as a beloved recreational activity for so many people, we need to take a moment to consider the risks of water, including drowning accident statistics you need to know. There is truth to the old adage that being forewarned is being forearmed – and safer in the water.
Drowning Accidents in the United States
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked drowning accidents in the country for a 10-year period from 2000 through 2019. The effort was undertaken to come up with a reliable estimate of the number of fatal and nonfatal drowning accidents that occur in the country annually. The results are sobering:
- On average, 3,960 fatal drowning accidents occur in the United States annually. There are approximately 11 drowning accident deaths each and every day.
- 8,080 nonfatal drowning accidents happen each day in the country as well. This amounts to about 22 nonfatal drowning accidents across the United States every 24 hours.
- A majority of drowning accidents are the result of negligence. In other words, most drowning deaths and drowning injuries do not need to happen in the first instance.
Nonfatal Drowning Accidents does not Mean Insignificant Drowning Accidents
In reading these statistics from the CDC, you may be like many people and initially be inclined to think “thank goodness so many drowning accidents are nonfatal.” Yes, of course, it is a relief to know that not all drowning accidents are life-ending events. However, the fact that a drowning accident is nonfatal does not mean that it is insignificant. The grim reality is that many victims of nonfatal drowning accidents sustain severe and life-altering injuries.
- 40 percent of drowning accident victims that survive the initial accident who are treated in emergency rooms require hospitalization because of their injuries. This is contrasted with 8 percent of all other type of injuries that bring people to emergency departments.
- Eight children are admitted to emergency rooms for drowning accident injuries for every child who dies by drowning.
- A significant percentage of drowning accidents result in brain damage (as a result of a lack of oxygen) as well as other serious outcomes. The result is that many drowning accident victims suffer long-term or permanent disabilities.
Drowning Accidents and Children
Some healthcare experts maintain that drowning accidents among children is a health crisis. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children between the ages of one and 14. Only motor vehicle accidents take the lives of more children in the United States each year than do drowning accidents.
When it comes to children between the ages of one to four, most drowning accidents and drowning deaths occur in swimming pools. A considerable percentage of these deaths occur when a child ends up at a pool and in the water unexpectedly. This happens in one of two ways:
First, a young child is at a pool with others and ends up in the water – either by design or by accident. A child may not properly be supervised and ends up drowning. Second, a child makes his or her way to a pool alone, ends up in the water, and drowns.
Doan Law Firm Drowning Accident Lawyer: A Fighter on Your Side
If you or a loved one have been injured in a drowning accident, The Doan Law Firm is here for you. If you’ve lost a family member in a drowning accident, we are prepared to protect your important legal rights. You can connect with a Doan Law Firm drowning accident lawyer by calling (800) 349-0000 any time of the day or night. A nationwide drowning accident law firm, we can arrange a no-cost and no-obligation initial consultation at any one of our 40 offices, at your home, at any other location convenient for you, and online.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee guarantee for you. Our firm will never charge an attorney fee in your case unless we win for you.
