Approximately 12,000 drowning accidents occur in the United States each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 33 percent of those drowning accidents are fatal. Of the remaining 8,000 nonfatal drowning accidents, victims of these incidents oftentimes suffer catastrophic injuries, including permanent brain damage. The reality is that proper swimming lessons have the ability to reduce the incidence of drowning accidents.
There are a number of key ways in which participating in swimming lessons reduces the risk of drowning:
- Master Basic Swimming Skills
- Improve Water Safety Knowledge
- Overcome Fear of Water
- Enhance Strength and Endurance
- Learn Rescue Water Techniques
- Improve Coordination and Balance
- Understand the Importance of Proper Supervision
- Encourage Safe Aquatic Behavior
Master Basic Swimming Skills
Swimming lessons are invaluable when it comes to helping people (particularly children) gain the basic skills needed to stay afloat and move through the water efficiently, effectively, and safely. This knowledge can help prevent accidents in the water by allowing individuals to feel more comfortable and confident in the water. Basic swimming skills include:
- Floating
- Treading water
- Swimming strokes such as:
- Freestyle
- Backstroke
- Breaststroke
- Butterfly
Improve Water Safety Knowledge
Swimming lessons not only teach swimming techniques but also educate individuals on water safety practices, guidelines and rules. This includes:
- Understanding the importance of wearing a life jacket
- Identifying hazards in and around the water
- Understanding how to respond in an emergency
Swimming instructors teach essential safety skills that include:
- How to enter and exit the water safely
- How to recognize and prevent drowning
- How to use rescue equipment
Overcome Fear of Water
Fear of water is a common issue that can keep individuals from enjoying swimming or other water activities. Fear of water can also increase the risk of a drowning accident. Swimming lessons help overcome this fear by gradually introducing individuals to the water in a safe and controlled environment.
Enhance Strength and Endurance
Swimming is an excellent form of exercise that can help build strength and endurance. By taking swimming lessons, individuals can improve their physical fitness and stamina, which in turn helps them stay safer when in water. Swimming is a low-impact exercise that works all the major muscle groups, providing a full-body workout that can help increase muscle tone and cardiovascular health.
Learn Rescue Water Techniques
Swimming lessons teach individuals rescue techniques. These include the essentials of CPR or how to rescue someone in distress. This type of knowledge is invaluable in an emergency situation, potentially saving someone's life. Instructors teach essential rescue skills that include:
- How to recognize when someone is in trouble
- How to approach a drowning victim safely
- How to provide first aid in an emergency
Improve Coordination and Balance
Swimming lessons require individuals to develop coordination and balance. This is essential for staying afloat and moving through the water safely. These skills can help prevent accidents in the water by allowing individuals to react quickly and effectively. Swimming strokes require coordination between the arms and legs, as well as balance and body control to maintain a proper position in the water.
Understand the Importance of Proper Supervision
Swimming lessons teach individuals the importance of being supervised in the water, especially for children. This knowledge can help prevent accidents by ensuring that someone is always watching over others in the water. Instructors stress the importance of swimming with a buddy or under the supervision of a lifeguard. Swimming lessons teach children never to swim alone.
Encourage Safe Aquatic Behavior
Swimming lessons encourage safe behaviors in and around the water that include:
- Never swimming alone
- Wearing a life jacket as necessary
- Avoiding alcohol consumption before swimming
Instructors teach essential water safety rules such as:
- Not diving into shallow water
- Not running near the pool
- Not playing near pool drains
Call The Doan Law Firm Today
If you or a loved one have been injured in a water-related accident of some type, The Doan Law Firm is here for you. You can arrange for a no-cost, no-obligation initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm lawyer by calling our nationwide firm any time of the day or night at ((800) 349-0000.
We make an attorney fee guarantee to you. We will never charge an attorney fee unless we win your case for you.
