Stats

Drowning Statistics

WE HAVE TO ALL TRY TO END DROWNING NOW

Last year (2021) alone there was 2,166 Drownings , 246 of them were children under 5

So far in 2024 there have been 210 Drownings-45 of them children

Since 2009 when these records began there have been a total of 30,208 deaths in the U.S. due to drowning!

Last 10 years 2014-2023
2,920 ages 1-4
1667 ages 5-12
2369 teenagers
14,441 Adults

20.2% in Pools, 26.9% in Lakes, 27.2% in Rivers, 10.7% in Oceans

**Drowning is Silent**

Unfortunate top states:
#1) Florida = 1,945 Deaths
#2) Texas = 1,857 Deaths
#3) California = 1,810 Deaths
#4) New York = 907 Deaths
#5) Michigan = 746 Deaths
#6) N Carolina = 725 Deaths
#7) Georgia = 706 Deaths

• Drowning is THE leading cause of death for children ages 1-4
• Drowning is the Second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death ages 5-14
• Annually over 4,000 fatal unintentional (non-boating related) drownings per year (Almost 11 per day!)
• Annually over 350 fatal boating related drownings – according to US Coast Guard over 83% were not wearing life jackets.
• Alcohol contributes to more than 50% of all boating accidents.
• 80% of all drowning victims are male or boys
• African American & Hispanic nationality account for more than 3 times as many drowning incidents
• Taking part in formal swimming lessons and water safety classes can reduce the risk of drowning by up to 88%

  • Infants=bathtubs as little as 2″ of water,  1-4 years old = residential pools and landscape ponds, 5-14 years old  = 40% natural water and 30% in pools, Adults = Lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans

CDC factors for drowning are: 1)Not being able to swim, 2) Missing isolation fencing , 3) Lack of supervision , 4) not wearing a lifejacket

AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) 5 evidence based drowning prevention strategies are:
  1. Barriers, 2)Supervision, 3)swim lessons, 4)lifejackets, 5)CPR
  • Learn basic swimming and water safety skills,
  • proper 4 sided isolation fencing with self-closing/latching gates can reduce the risk of drowning by as much as 83%
  • wear a lifejacket when on a boat, kayak, canoe, paddle board
  • learn CPR & rescue skills
  • never swim alone, use buddy system
  • always swim in lifeguarded area, be aware of Rip currents

Information obtained from: TPA (Total Programming Aquatics) , The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), CDC, NDPA and NIH