Health Library

Why Is Water Safety Important?

Water safety isn’t just about keeping kids safe in the pool. Bathroom water safety is also important. Things you might not think about — like catchment ponds, drainage ditches, and runoff areas in your neighborhood — can be hazards too.

Drowning Facts

In the U.S.:

• Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related death in children, especially those younger than 4 and teens.
• Most kids with nonfatal drowning injuries need emergency room care. Half of them will need further care, often in a hospital.
• Surviving a drowning can leave someone with severe brain damage — 5%-10% of childhood drowning cases result in long-term disability, such as persistent vegetative state or quadriplegia (the loss of use of all four limbs and torso).

How kids drown varies by age:

• Under age 1: Babies most often drown in bathtubs, buckets, and toilets.
• 1–4 years old: Young children most often drown in swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas.
• Older kids, teens, and young adults: Most drownings in these age groups happen in natural bodies of water, such as lakes and rivers.

So parents need to know how to keep kids safe in and on the water — whether they’re in the bathtub, on a boat, in your backyard pool, or out and about.

Drowning Prevention

• These safety steps can protect kids and teens around water. Use them all — you never know which one will save a life.

Bathroom Water Safety

• Find out how to keep young kids safe in and around the tub.

Pool Safety

• Think safety if you have a a pool, pond, spa, or hot tub on your property.

Outdoor Water Safety

• Swimming in a pool is different from swimming in a lake or the ocean. Here’s what you need to know.

Water Park Safety

• Water parks are a lot of fun and a great way to spend time outside. Here’s how to enjoy them safely.