A recent report by the Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) states that children under 5-years-old are more likely to die by drowning than any other death by accident. Drowning is the number one accidental death risk for young children claims the report.
The CPSC released their findings on Wednesday, reporting that 296 children under 5 lose their lives in drowning accidents every year. That number represents 76% of the total drownings in 2008 of children 15-years or younger.
Another shocking discovery is that 85% of victims 5 and under, drowned in residential areas such as backyard swimming pools, with 10% of those drowning deaths occurring in portable, inflatable pools. The majority of the drowning deaths occurred in in-ground pools, followed by above ground pools, spas and public pools.
Certain segments of the population are also at greater risk with African American and Hispanic children representing approximately 65% of the overall accidental drowning victims.
The CPSC believes this number can be greatly reduced if children are taught how to swim at a young age.
American Red Cross Chief Public Affairs Officer, Suzy DeFrancis said, “Learning how to swim saves lives. The American Red Cross encourages all families to enroll in Learn-to-Swim programs by contacting your local pool.”