Unfortunately, a big part of summer fun can also be a dangerous one. Within the U.S. alone, 50,000 people will visit the emergency room due to pool-related injuries each year. About 1,000 of those cases will be fatal.
Facts You Need to Know
Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death for children under 15 years old. Therefore, the knowledge of pool safety is so important when summer comes around. Below are some key facts to stay aware of where potential risks may come from:
- The area and equipment around the pool can be just as dangerous as the pool itself. This includes diving boards, electrical equipment, and wet, slippery surfaces.
- Pool slides also have risky potential. This is especially true when they lead into shallow areas of the pool and even more so if people are sliding down head first.
- Drownings involving children younger than 4 mostly happen at home. This can happen due to the lack of supervision or pool enclosures. On the other hand, drownings of those ages 5-15 most often occur in bodies of water such as lakes and rivers.
With this information, we can then figure out how best to prevent future injuries in varying situations. Continue reading to learn tips to diminish the risks of such harm.
Ways to Reduce the Risk
- Teach children to swim as soon as they can, and if there is a lack of swimming ability, providing proper equipment such as life jackets or water wings is extremely important.
- Always supervise children at or near the pool.
- Make sure the pool is properly secured and that young children cannot access it unless there is an adult.
- Don’t allow children to play or fool around by the pool, such as running, pushing, or shoving.
- Learn CPR. It can help or even save a life if an accident were to happen.
In many instances, swimming pool accidents are regarded under premises liability. This means a pool owner is liable for injuries sustained on their property because of lack of maintenance, negligent supervision, or unsafe conditions.
Contact Premises Liability Attorney Anthony Carbone
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a swimming pool accident – or any type of accident- on someone else’s property, contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone today. We are only one call or click away from getting you the help you need!