SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – A recent study by ValuePenguin of LendingTree indicates that while swimming is a popular summertime activity, fewer Americans know how to swim than you might think.
ValuePenguin’s data indicates that 72% of Americans plan on hitting the pool this summer, a rate that has possibly increased from last year due to easing COVID-19 restrictions. Despite this love for the pool, data shows that 17% of Americans can’t swim. That’s almost one in five Americans.
Even more surprising is that 40% of Americans said to ValuePenguin that they “wouldn’t feel comfortable saving a struggling swimmer.” Their report also shows that only 19% of Americans have an active CPR certification, which can save lives at the poolside.
ValuePenguin also writes that the top safety-related incident poolside is slipping and falling outside—but near—the pool. They suggest a fence around a pool, pool alarms, and pool covers to help mitigate slip and fall related injury at the pool.
Interestingly, ValuePenguin’s cross sectional data indicates that families with low-income are more likely to experience risk at a swimming pool. They contend that this is most likely because lower-income families resort to informal swim training instead of professional swim training, which can sometimes be expensive.
In an article published in 2018, the Utah Department of Health reported that on average, 26 Utahns die from unintentional drownings each year. Their data supports that of ValuePenguin, indicating that Utahns aged 0-4 have the highest rates of drowning deaths.
Nationwide, the CDC reports an estimated 3,900 fatal drownings. Their website provides a list of guidelines to keep you and your family safe while enjoying warm weather and the water this summer
