More Than 200 Child Drownings Reported This Summer
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iStockphoto/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — At least 202 children in the United States drowned in a swimming pool or spa this summer, according to a report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The victims were between the ages of 1 and 14 and drowned between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Out of the 202, 143 of the victims were children younger than 5. About 300 kids on average die each year from drowning, and it is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1 to 4.
“The time is now to turn the tide on child drownings,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “In warm weather states and indoor swim parks, pools are still open.”
Tenenbaum encourages parents to put up barriers to pools and maintain supervision of children in and around the water.
Texas saw the largest number of pool and spa drownings this summer with 28 reported incidents involving children under 15.
70 percent of African American children, 60 percent of Hispanic children and 40 percent of white children cannot swim, according to data from USA Swimming.
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