If you ask several people about what their favourite pastime or activity is, it is very likely that a large group of them will say that swimming is something that they really enjoy. But while swimming in a pool on holiday or in your backyard can be enjoyable, drowning and near-drowning can occur in the blink of an eye. Some people may not realise this, but water can be extremely dangerous.
Though a personal injury attorney can help you fight for compensation if your loved one drowned because of another individual’s negligence, they will never be able to bring them back, as much as we would like them to do so.
But there are many features that can be implemented in and around a swimming pool that can help to prevent water related incidents from happening in the first place. So, let’s learn more about what they are.
Learn How to Swim
This may sound obvious to most people, but learning how to swim with a trained professional can be a great way to ensure that the possibility of drowning or near-drowning are kept as low as possible. However, it is still important to remember that even if you do know how to swim, some factors that are out of your control could put you in danger. When it comes to taking a swimming lesson for the first time, it is very likely that you will feel nervous and anxious, and this is normal. In hindsight, these emotions are there for a reason, but you should embrace them. They could help to save your life after all. Additionally, just think about how much fun you can have on vacation if there is a swimming pool to enjoy every day. That is reason alone to learn how to swim.
Behave Sensibly
While swimming can be harmless, for the most part, mixing dangerous actions with water can result in serious consequences. Actions such as drinking alcohol around water, diving into shallow water, not wearing a life jacket and swimming in unknown locations have been known to change someone’s life. In fact, some statistics suggest that eighty percent of drowning deaths are male, but there is no evidence as to why this is.
If you have decided to swim in an unknown location, it is important that you consider how the temperature of the water can affect you. Though it is normal to feel cold when you have initially entered the water, if it is too cold, your body temperature could drop and you could become confused. As such, this confusion can lead to behaviour that could put you in serious danger. To prevent this, do some research beforehand or take a flotation device with you to guarantee maximum safety.
Around The Clock Supervision
If your child has already had swimming lessons and are confident when it comes to swimming in a pool, this doesn’t mean that you can leave them unsupervised. In fact, this is one of the worst things that you can do. Although it wasn’t you who was supervising them when they were having their swimming lessons, there was always someone watching them in case they experienced any difficulty, and this just emphasises the importance of you or a responsible adult supervising them where possible.
Multiple pairs of eyes on children will guarantee their safety. Many may not realise just how hazardous water can be for small children, which could lead to drowning in a split second. Though this may not seem significant, actions such as this have the ability to change someone’s life forever. So, bear this in mind when taking your child to a swimming pool.
Avoiding Overcrowded Facilities
Depending on what type of person you are, the idea of a place that has many people in it at one time can be daunting. It can, however, become even more daunting when you are visiting a swimming pool facility. Too many people around a swimming pool can all but increase the risk of anyone, particularly children, getting injured from others. Jumping into the pool and landing on them is one example of this.
As well as this, it is very likely that many people will get distracted when there is a lot of people around, thus leading to further incidents. To avoid this, either go to a facility in a large group so you have several people who can supervise or go at a different time. Personal injuries can be easily avoided.
Unbeknownst to many people, drowning or near drowning is just as serious as a car accident or motorcycle accident, and they should be treated in the same way. Though personal injury lawyers can help you achieve justice and compensation, it is important to remember that these incidents can be prevented in the first place, so take extra caution around water.
