Swimming Pools
A swimming pool in the yard can be very dangerous for children. Every year, many children drown in backyard swimming pools and in small "kiddie" or wading pools. According to the Center for Disease Control, there were over 3,300 deaths caused by drowning or submersion in 2000. This rate was particularly high among children under 16, which represent almost one quarter, or twenty-five percent, of all drowning victims. Approximately 350 children under the age of 5 drown in pools each year. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for this age group after motor vehicle collisions. Another 2,600 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for near-drowning incidents. Another 5,000 more children experienced near-drowning emergencies, and many of those suffered permanent neurological disability. The vast majority of these accidents happen in backyard pools.
If possible, you should not put a swimming pool in your yard until your children are older than 5. Children are in danger because:
- They like to play in the water
- They move fast
- They can drown in on a few centimeters, or one inch, of water
Property owners who have a pool on their property are required to have a fence around the area where the pool is. Other additional safety recommendations include;
- Supervising children when they are in or near the pool. NEVER leave a child unattended in or near a pool.
- Always keep your eyes on the children.
- Put up a four-sided isolation fence that is at least five feet high to separate your house from the pool. The fencing should enclose the pool and spa entirely, preventing direct access.
- Installing a power safety cover adds to the protection of your children
- Self-closing and self-latching gates
- Keep rescue equipment and a telephone near the pool
- Install motion detectors
- Install remote cameras
- Remove all toys from the pool after the children are done swimming to remove the temptation to reach for them
- Secure the pool after it is no longer in use
- Empty wading pools directly after use and turn them upside down
Robert D. Erney has successfully litigated cases against swimming pools for injuries to others on their property. He will be happy to discuss your potential claim with you.
