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Each day in the U.S., about 10 people die as a result of drowning, the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in the U.S. The problem is biggest among the very young, but people of all ages can become unintentional drowning victims, especially if they aren’t aware of the risks.
To better help people understand the risks of drowning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released these surprising statistics:
• Males are much more likely to be drowning victims than women. In fact, almost 80 percent of drowning victims, or four out of five, are men or boys, according to data from the CDC.
• Preschoolers ages one to four years of age have the highest rates of drowning, and most drowning accidents occur in home swimming pools. In 2009, almost a third of deaths from unintentional injury of children in this age group were caused by drowning.
• About 20 percent of all drowning victims are under the age of 14. For each child who dies as a result of drowning, another five children receive emergency care for drowning-related injuries.
• More than half of all non-fatal drowning injuries require hospitalization or institutional care, compared to only six percent for all types of unintentional injury.
• The risks of a non-fatal drowning accident can be severe and lifelong, and they can include paralysis, brain damage and permanent loss of basic functioning (a vegetative state).
• Drowning rates are higher among blacks compared to whites. In fact, black children from five to 14 years of age are three times as likely to die from drowning as white children of the same ages overall, and nearly six times as likely to drown in a swimming pool.
Knowing the risks is just one part of the equation; make sure you and your loved ones practice safe swimming practices to reduce the risks of drowning, and never swim alone.
Call our Washington D.C. personal injury attorneys for insight into your possible case.
To learn more about another scary and preventable summer danger, read this article: Hot Car Deaths, the Law, and a New Way to Prevent Them.
