Who is most likely to drown?

Children - of all children aged 1 to 4 who died in 2008, almost 30% died from drowning. Drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children aged 1 to 14 years.

Males - males were 4 times more likely to drown in 2008.

African Americans - the fatal unintentional drowning rate for AA of all ages between the years 2000 and 2008 was 1.3 times that of whites. For AA children aged 5 to 14, the drowning rates are more than 3 times higher that for white children of similar age.

It is estimated that for each drowning death, there are 1 to 4 nonfatal submersions serious enough to result in hospitalization. Children who still require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the time they arrive at the emergency department have a poor prognosis, with at least half of survivors suffering significant neurologic impairment.

19% of drowning deaths involving children occur in public pools with certified lifeguards present.

A swimming pool is 14 times more likely than a motor vehicle to be involved in the death of a child age 4 and under.

Of all preschoolers who drown, 70% are in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning, and 75% are missing from sight for 5 minutes of less.

The majority of children who survive (92%) are discovered within 2 minutes following submersion, and most children who die (86%) are found after 10 minutes. Nearly all who require CPR die or are left with sever brain injury.