Maryland Accident Law Blog
According to the journal Pediatrics, wading and inflatable pools pose just as big of a drowning danger as in-ground pools—especially for kids. This Maryland child injury risk is important for parents to know about. The study looks at data that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission had gathered about drowning and near-drowning accidents that took place between 2001 and 2009.
In the summers during that time period, a child drowned in a portable backyard pool once every five days. The incidents resulted in 209 deaths from submersion and 35 non-fatal accidents involving kids under 12. Although Gary Smith, the study’s author, isn’t saying that kids shouldn’t be allowed to swim in portable pools, he does note that parents need to realize the possible dangers involved and they should the necessary safety precautions to protect their children, including:
• Making sure that children are properly supervised in the pool—this includes not texting or getting drunk while watching the kids.
• Securing the pool when no adults are around so kids can’t get in the water without permission.
Remember, you need just a few inches of water to drown in so even if the pool at issue is a wading pool, it can still pose a drowning hazard.
Our Maryland swimming accident lawyers represent families whose children have suffered injuries because someone else was negligent. In some cases, the negligent party may be a property owner that didn’t take precautions to prevent kids from entering a pool without permission or adequate supervision. Examples of other possible responsible parties in a pool drowning accident: the manufacturer of a defective pool drain or the host of a swimming event who failed to properly supervise the swimmers.
Portable pools a summer risk for children, Reuters, June 20, 2011
More Blog Posts:
Dementia Patient’s Wandering Leads to Death—Nursing Home Fined $20K for Negligence, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, June 6, 2011
CPSC Offers Tips to Prevent Washington DC Pool Drowning Accidents, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, May 4, 2011
In Maryland, Accidental Drowning Of Anne Arundel County 5-Year Old Renews Calls For Greater Pool Safety, Maryland Accident Law Blog, October 13, 2006
Contact our Baltimore personal injury law firm today.