The drowning stats for November 2022 are here. While not as positive as last year’s, these numbers are still an improvement over October’s grim data.
Understanding the Drowning Statistics for November 2022
Each month, the water safety experts at Total Aquatic Programming are gracious enough to share nationwide drowning statistics. This data examines all of the drowning cases that occurred across the nation that month.
Continuing this trend, the drowning stats for November 2022 have a lot to say. As always, these incidents are compared to the other Novembers from the past 13 years. The goal is to find patterns of behavior, gaps in education, and possible solutions to prevent needless loss of life.
Overall, Total Aquatic Programming’s month-by-month drowning numbers help water safety experts to improve general education and life-saving rescue practices.
The basic drowning stats for November 2022 track more than 15 separate items from every drowning that occurs throughout the country.
These items include, but are not limited to:
- date
- state
- city
- county
- age and gender of the victim
- ethnicity, if recorded
- body of water in which the drowning occurred
- and several other circumstances that can help to provide some guidance in the prevention of future drownings.
If you are interested in learning more, please check out our Child Safety Source interview with Total Aquatic Programming’s Mick Nelson.
Chart: Drowning Stats for November 2022
As we mentioned in the intro, the drowning stats for November 2022 are significantly better than those from October 2022. Granted, the October 2022 numbers were severely affected by the recent hurricanes in Florida. As such, those should not be taken as typical numbers. Overall however, there has been a definite downward turn when it comes to drowning incidents. That’s great news!
That said, there is still a ways to go. There were still more drowning incidents than many of the Novembers on record. Sometimes, certain trends emerge. In this case, two trends that emerged in November 2022 included people who had ladder trouble and people who were swimming under the influence.
Alcohol and Swimming
This month, let’s begin by discussing the problem of drinking and swimming. In a nutshell, alcohol and swimming do not mix. Far too many people become inebriated before deciding to taking a dip. This can be quite dangerous. In a hot tub, it can encourage people to fall asleep and slip under the water. In a swimming pool or boat, it can impair judgement. This can lead to unnecessary hazards. Diving into the wrong area of the water, or simply behaving irresponsibly, can lead to disastrous occurrences. This is true of even the most skilled swimmers.
Be Careful on Ladders
Finally, one of the biggest issues this month was ladder-related drowning incidents. No matter your age, getting into and out of a pool poses some risks. An improperly installed ladder can easily cause trouble. A broken ladder leads to falls and injuries. This is true for swimming pools as well as for the ladder that helps folks board a boat.
When it comes to entering and exiting a pool, a properly installed ladder is quite important. This detail should not be neglected when installing a pool or hot tub. On a boat, be sure that the ladder is properly secured before people begin to use it. Thinking ahead can help to save lives.
