injury and violence prevention (ivp) branch

Kids leaning on edge of swimming pool

Key Takeaways

Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related deaths

Most incidents of drowning deaths for 1-4 year olds occur in pools at people’s homes

There are steps you can take to protect children from drowning

Drowning Prevention is a Public Health Priority in California

Every year, communities in California are tragically impacted by drowning deaths. Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related deaths among children under the age of five. Most incidents of drowning deaths for 1-4 year olds occur in pools at people’s homes—usually during times no one was supposed to be swimming. Drowning is fast and silent - it can happen in minutes, without warning.

Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Videos

What You Need to Know

If you own a home with a pool or are visiting a home with a pool or other body of water, there are steps you can take to protect children from drowning, including:

Adult Supervision: Always supervise children when they are in or near water. Designate a responsible adult to be a “Water Watcher” to watch young children closely.
Swim Lessons: Teach children water safety skills by enrolling them in swimming lessons starting at a young age to teach essential water safety skills.
Barriers: Per SB 442, homeowners are required to have at least two layers of protection for pools. Install water barriers such as pool fences, gates for the yard with self-closing and self-latching features, pool alarm buoys, or door alarms to prevent unsupervised access to water.
Remove temptations: Keep toys and floating devices out of the pool when not in use.
Life Jackets: Ensure that children wear only US Coast guard approved life jackets for water activities.