Adult Drowning Accidents Occur Twice as Often as Child Drowning Accidents in Arizona
By Craig Knapp on June 29, 2016

A quick search online will show that Arizona drowning accidents happen far too often.

Yesterday a 4-year-old drowned during a family party in North Phoenix. Adults in the family were unaware that the girl had left the house and gone to the pool area. When guests started to leave the party, the girl was found in the pool. Despite families performing CPR, the young girl did not make it.

On Monday, a 27-year-old man died in South Phoenix after drowning in a pool while trying to change a light. Phoenix Fire Captain said the man was most likely shocked while changing the light. His wife and three children attempted to rescue the man, but his 8-year-old daughter said when her stepmom tried to get her dad out of the pool, they were shocked every time they got close.

Twenty-five drowning accidents have happened in Arizona so far in 2016. Of those, 17 were adults. It may seem surprising, but drowning accidents don’t just happen to children. In fact, the president of the Drowning Prevention Coalition, Lori Schmidt, told AZCentral.com that adults drown twice as often as children in Arizona. This is due in large part to adults using drugs or drinking alcohol and overestimating their swimming abilities. Also, adults are more likely to swim alone and get themselves in trouble.

The American Red Cross reports that 80 percent of Americans say they can swim, but only 56 percent would actually pass the Red Cross water competency test. Watch this video below to see if you would pass the test:

For 5 tips to prevent drowning accidents, read our blog. And to learn how to protect your child and prevent a drowning accident, read this blog.

If you or a loved on has been injured while swimming, the Phoenix personal injury lawyers at Knapp & Roberts are here to help. Call our offices today at (480) 991-7677 or fill out an online form for a free consultation.