New report reveals danger of childhood drownings in open waters

The study, called “The 2018 Open Safety Water Report,” reveals children are more likely to drown in an open water (such as lakes, rivers and oceans) than a pool, particularly as children get older. For younger children ages 1-4, the majority of drownings (57 percent) occur in pools. By the time children are 15, however, the risk of drowning in an ocean, lake or another open water is far greater. Nine percent of drownings involving teenagers ages 15-19 occur in pools, compared to 73 percent in open water, according to this study based on analyzing data on drownings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and and the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention.