Well, another month has passed. Hopefully, everyone is being responsible during the pandemic. The total U.S. Drowning Stats for April 2020 certainly show that far less people were in the water. As you’ll see below, there were some rather significant drops in the drowning rates.
As you saw reflected in the March 2020 numbers, people are still avoiding public interactions out of coronavirus fears. Take a look at the drowning stats for April 2020 as we explore some of the possible implications.
U.S. Drowning Stats for April 2020
Now, obviously, these drowning stats and maps presented by Total Aquatic Programming.seem like amazing, positive news. Unfortunately, looks can be deceiving. As you are no doubt aware, we’re living in some very strange times. Under normal circumstances, drowning rates are much more significant than what you’ll see below. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is responsible for more deaths among children aged one through four than any other cause, except for birth defects.
Even though we’re experiencing lower rates for April, this does not necessarily mean that this danger has changed. Drowning is still a significant threat. Proper education and preparation will still be necessarily to lower a swimmer’s risk. This shared data clearly indicates the exact ages and causes of the previous month’s drowning incidents.
As you will see below, the April 2020 drowning stats will be compared with other April statistics, reaching all the way back to the year 2009. Through careful examination of these numbers, experts are able to recognize areas where our education is lacking.
As our regular monthly readers know, this basic chart focuses on four key age groups and how they are affected by drowning:
- Children aged four and younger
- Children aged 12 and under
- Teenagers
- Adults, meaning anyone older than teens
Chart: Drowning Stats for April 2020
First, let’s start with the good news. All of the rates went down. That said, most responsible swimmers were staying away from public pools and beaches during this past month. It’s difficult to truly take a clear lesson from this information.
As we said last month, the social distancing rules were not active until halfway through March. Throughout April, we saw the full effects of COVID-19 self-isolation. Now, that doesn’t mean that everyone stayed out of the water. Owners of private swimming pools were free to swim. According to the CDC, it is perfectly safe to swim during the COVID-19 pandemic. As long as we follow proper safety precautions, swimming is a healthy way to exercise and relieve stress.
Drowning Map for 2019/2020
In addition to the April 2020 drowning stats above, we have been provided with two additional graphics. The first is a nationwide drowning map for all of 2019. This map identifies “hot spots” of child drowning incidents on a state-by-state basis. Please take a look at the map below. It has been updated to include all drownings through July 2019.
Understanding This Map
Up next, here is the 2020 detailed map of child drownings. Please note that the numbers inside each state on this map represent the ages of the children, not the number of children. Each age represents one child. So, if a child was 10-11-12 years old, their age is underlined so as not to confuse as two separate numbers. For example, a 12-year-old would be listed on the map as “12.”
Where Do These Drowning Stats Come From?
As mentioned earlier, these U.S. drowning stats and graphics are brought to us courtesy of Sue and Mick Nelson of Total Aquatic Programming, LLC. USA Swimming, the national governing body for competitive swimming in the United States, also uses this information.
If you are interested in learning more about the people behind this data, watch our full Child Safety Source interview with Mick Nelson. Additionally, you can visit Total Aquatic Programming’s official website.
