Although water recreation provides hours of enjoyment and exercise for children, water and children can be a deadly mix.

It is no surprise that the risk of drowning increases more in the summer than the risk of any other kind of unintentional injury — 89 percent over the rest of the year — because more children are swimming and playing outside near pools and open bodies of water.

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1 to 14 in the United States.

Prevention begins with you! There are a few easy steps that you can take to make sure kids are safe in and around water during the summer:

	Always watch your children when they are playing in or near the water.
	Install fencing around all sides of a home pool or spa. The fencing should be at least five feet high and have self-closing and self-latching gates.
	Always wear a life jacket when on a boat, near open bodies of water or when taking part in water sports.
	Make sure the life jacket fits you properly and is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
	Teach your children to swim after age 4.
	Never dive into water that is less than nine feet deep.
	Download SWIM Safe Tips

	Download the Safe Kids U.S. Summer Safety Ranking Report
	Download the Drowning Safety Fact Sheet.
	Visit the 2006 Safe Kids Water Safety Web site.

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