Fourth of July Brings Increased Risk of Georgia Swimming Pool Accidents

Our Georgia Injury Attorneys wish each of you a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July weekend and we encourage you to watch young children and other guests around the water -- whether a portable backyard pool, an in-ground spa or while enjoying a day out on the water.

Georgia swimming pool accidents are a tragically common occurrence during the warm summer months. As we wrote previously on our Georgia Injury Attorney Blog, negligent parties may include the homeowner, babysitter or caretaker, pool manager or even the swimming pool manufacturer or maker of pool covers, drains or other equipment.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission reported 75 drownings and near drownings by mid-April. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an average of 10 drowning deaths per day occur in the United States -- a statistic that spikes much higher in the summer.

For every child who dies from drowning, four others will be treated in hospital emergency rooms. Near drowning injuries can be devastating; often including brain damage or other neurological damage. Children under the age of 4 have the highest drowning rate.

And it's a mistake to think a large swimming pool or spa is required; a recent report shows children playing in small portable pools are also at high risk. In the last decade, 244 portable pool submersion accidents were reported among children under the age of 12; all but 35 led to fatal injuries, according to CNN Health. The rate of such accidents increased 500 percent between 2001 and 2005.

The CPSC offers the following pool safety tips:

• Teach children to float or swim as soon as possible.
• Always provide adult supervision around a swimming pool.
• No one should swim alone, including an adult.
• Explain to children the dangers of acting carelessly or recklessly around a swimming pool.
• Never push someone into a pool.
• Go feet first on slides.
• Make sure other swimmers are out of the way before diving or sliding.
• Teach children what to do in the event of an emergency.
• Beware of the use of electrical appliances, such as a radio, around a pool.
• Remember, swimming and excessive alcohol don't mix.

Tips for swimming pool owners include:

• Make sure you are in compliance with local, state and federal ordinances.
• Use non-stick material on decks, ladders, stairs, etc.
• Make sure to utilize proper stairs and handrails.
• Have electrical equipment properly installed by a licensed electrician.
• Make sure your pool is surrounded by a fence or other conforming enclosure.
• Properly mark water depths.
• Keep pool equipment clean and in good repair.

If you are injured in a swimming pool accident, contact the North Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys at Casey W. Stevens Law: Alpharetta Personal Injury and Car Accident Lawyers. Call 877-217-7230 for a free case evaluation.

Additional Resource

Swimming Pool Deaths and Injuries - Georgia State Law - Part II