Drowning Accidents in Natural Water Settings

In Florida, there are numerous opportunities for people to swim or participate in water-related activities. Almost everyone—except very small children—should understand that any body of water always presents the risk of drowning accidents, which can often be fatal. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports¹ that drowning is the 5th leading cause of unintentional deaths for all Americans, as well as the 2nd leading cause of unintentional death for young children between one and 14 years of age. If people are generally aware of the risks of drowning—what is causing all of these drowning deaths?

Half of drowning incidents happen in natural water settings

The CDC reports that a whopping half of all drowning accidents happen in natural water settings² such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. The large majority of people in the Clearwater, Florida area take a trip to the beach at some point in their lives, therefore they are at a high risk for drowning incidents. Males are substantially more likely to drown in natural waters, and they account for an estimated 90 percent of drowning victims in natural settings.

Many drowning accidents happen because parents or other adults are not sufficiently supervising children or do not provide the correct safety equipment for the child’s swimming ability. If you bring your child to the beach, they should always be in a proper life jacket or have another flotation device, even if they are only planning to go into shallow waters. Current and waves can easily sweep small children out too far and, if they have no safety gear, they can easily drown.

Additionally, many adult swimmers tend to overestimate their abilities when swimming in open water. It is often challenging to gauge distance from the shore and even strong swimmers can find themselves exhausted if they swim out too far. Furthermore, the flow of the current or strength of the waves is also often more powerful than expected, which can also lead to exhaustion and pushing a swimmer out farther from the shore than they intended. Water can be colder than expected and can substantially impair motor function. Finally, some beaches or other natural water settings may not have the necessary warning signs that alert swimmers to potential hazards.

Boating accidents commonly lead to drowning

Boating is another fun activity that unfortunately can lead to tragic drowning accidents in natural waters. According to the United States Coast Guard³, approximately three-quarters of people killed in boating accidents died due to drowning. Boat accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, including the following:

•          Inexperienced or untrained drivers
•          Distracted driving
•         Other driver errors
•         Alcohol consumption
•         Failure to yield to other watercraft
•         Unfamiliarity with the rules of the water
•        Rough waters

Though the majority of boat accidents occur when the boat is moving, an estimated 25 percent happen when the boat is moored, anchored, drifting, or docked, and are caused by the negligence of another boat driver.

Contact the Dolman Law Group for a free consultation today

If you have suffered injury in a boating accident or other type of water-related accident, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Dolman Law Group in Clearwater, Florida can assist you with a possible legal claim. We are committed to helping victims of accidents that are caused by another’s negligence justly recover for all of their injury related losses. Additionally, if you have lost a loved one in a drowning or boating accident due to another’s negligence, our attorneys can help you file a wrongful death suit to receive compensation for your tragic loss. Please do not hesitate to call our office at 727-451-6900 to schedule a free consultation today.

Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33756
727-451-6900

¹http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/water-safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html

²http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdrowningrisks/

³http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/workflow_staging/Page/705.PDF