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Safe Kids and Nationwide’s Make Safe Happen explore the dangers of childhood drowning in lakes, rivers, oceans, ponds and other open water. Check out our new report, Hidden Hazards: An Exploration of Open Water Drowning and Risks for Children.
This year, we are marking 10 years of progress in reducing drowning deaths among our kids through passage of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (VGB). There’s been a 25 percent reduction in U.S. pool deaths among children in the past ten years. On May 24, 2017, members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies heard testimony about the law.
While drowning in swimming pools gets significant attention, the fact is that more children and teens fatally drown in lakes, rivers, oceans, reservoirs and other types of open water. It’s important to be aware of, and talk to your children about, the following open water dangers:
This infographic illustrates the scope of the drowning problem in the U.S., common misconceptions families have, and smart tips to protect kids.
Water, summer and kids having fun are synonymous. That was true for me when I was young, whether it involved a swimming pool, the ocean or even a big scoop of water ice in my native Philadelphia.
We work at Safe Kids to be parents’ partners so that the job of parent can be the joy we all envision, and less of the stress that it can be at times. We hope the diligence parents need to exercise around water will lower your stress level. Too much of a good thing can be perilous and the difference between fun and tragedy can happen in the snap of fingers or just a few inches of water.
When I was just 12 years old, I attended a neighborhood pool party with a few families from our street. There were kids of all ages, with the youngest being around the age of 2. As the adults gathered in the shallow end of the pool, one mother was with her young toddler. She placed the young girl on a pool noodle as a floatation device. Her mom had a false perception that with so many people around, her child would be safe.
Sadly, she was wrong.
https://www.safekids.org/safe-kids-worldwide-emphasizes-education-and-awareness-about-dangers-carbon-monoxide-while-travelingIf you’re looking for information or an expert in childhood safety and prevention, then Safe Kids Worldwide is here to help.
Some say it is overly ambitious to think we can reach a goal of zero road fatalities involving people on foot and bikes. When it comes to keeping kids safe, there should be no other goal. There is nothing worse for a parent than losing a child. The tragedies are all the more devastating when they are a preventable injury. Things like fires, falls, drowning and car crashes. It’s a child not buckled up correctly in a car seat. It’s an 8th grader with headphones hit by speeding driver or a bicyclist hit by a teen driver who wasn’t required to have adequate on-the-road practice time.
How to Watch Kids Around Water
- Watch kids when they are in or around water. Keep young children and weak swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult.
Check out the latest Children's Product Recalls from October 2018.