Swimming is the fourth most popular recreation activity in the United States, with more than 300 million swimming visits annually by people across the country. Unfortunately, despite the prevalence of the activity, many adults and children are vulnerable to many of the dangers of water play. Utilizing safe swimming practices can prevent stress, injuries, and even death due to drowning.

Swim Safety and Drowning Statistics

Injuries and fatalities due to lack of swimming and water safety are surprisingly more common than most people think.

  • Nearly 50% of people have had a near-drowning experience.
  • Drowning is the second leading cause of death for people age 5-24 – about ten people drown daily in the United States. Additionally, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children age 1-4.
  • Every year, an average of 3,600 injuries occur to children as a result of near-drowning.
  • African-American children, age 5-14 are three times more likely to drown than white children.

The American Red Cross Recommends Five Core Swimming Skills

Learning the basics of swimming may be the best way to combat these risks. According to the American Red Cross, 20 percent of households have children who can’t swim – and adults vastly overestimate their abilities in the water.

A survey conducted by the Red Cross found that, while 80 percent of Americans claim they could swim, only 56 percent stated they could complete these five basic swim skills:

  1. Step or jump into the water over your head and return to the surface.
  2. Float or tread water for one minute without a flotation device.
  3. Turn around in a full circle and find an exit.
  4. Swim 25 yards (the length of a standard pool) to the exit.
  5. Exit from the water without using a ladder.

The Red Cross considers these core abilities a strong indicator of your competence in the water – the bare minimum necessary to save your life.

Other Swim Safety Tips

If you already consider yourself competent in the water, there are other things you can do to improve the safety of yourself and others while swimming.

  • Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards. According to the Red Cross, 63 percent of people will swim in areas without a lifeguard. Try to avoid unsupervised pools and remote swimming holes – especially if you don’t consider yourself a strong swimmer.
  • Never swim alone – especially in natural bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and oceans. Always plan for a swim buddy to ensure you have someone watching you.
  • If children are swimming with you, ensure that they receive constant supervision.
  • Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim. Enroll your children in swim classes at an early age. Although they may not develop strong swimming skills right away, acclimating them to water may prevent them from panicking if they ever end up in a dangerous aquatic situation.
  • Have appropriate safety equipment, such as life jackets, throwing equipment, and a first aid kit.
  • Educate your kids about swimming safely. This includes setting boundaries on where they’re allowed to go swimming and starting conversations about what rules to follow when in the water.
  • Don’t rely on swimming aids such as kick-boards and flotation devices. 67 percent of people think children’s “water wings” are enough to keep kids safe in the water.

If swimming is a regular activity, it is highly recommended to take classes on swim safety and first aid procedures such as CPR. The Red Cross regularly holds courses on swimming and pool safety and first aid and CPR to better prepare you for any emergencies in the water.