Swimming Pool Accidents in Georgia

During the hot summer months in Georgia, swimming pools offer families a great way to escape from the heat. Georgia is home to a number of swimming pools, from public and private pools to hotel pools, apartment complex pools, water parks, and more. When pools are safely constructed and maintained, they can offer hours of fun and enjoyment, but if not maintained or enclosed correctly, pools can quickly become a hazard. Although most pools are safe and well-maintained, many pools across Georgia have tragically been the site of drowning or other dangerous pool accidents, most often occurring in the summer months.

Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 4,000 people die from drowning. Drowning is a top cause of death for children ages one through four. For those under the age of 29, drowning is one of the top three causes of unintentional death. In addition to the alarming number of drowning fatalities, close to 6,000 people are rushed to the emergency room each year for nonfatal near-drowning incidents.

Common Causes of Georgia Swimming Pool Accidents

Swimming pool accidents can occur under a variety of circumstances. Some of the most common causes of swimming pool accidents include, but are not limited to:

• Improperly installed or missing self-latching devices and gates that prevent children from entering the pool area and falling in;
• A lack of life saving equipment, such as ring buoys, which can help save drowning children or adults;
• Overcrowded pools that prevent lifeguards or parents from noticing a child in distress;
• No depth markers, pools that become suddenly deep, or unclear depth markers;
• Lack of pool ladders;
• Lack of safety lines or other markers separating the shallow and deep ends of the pool;
• Vacuum drains lacking covers that can suck in children's limbs or clothing;
• Lack of phones in close proximity to the pool in order to call for help in the event of an accident;
• Failure to warn swimmers that no lifeguards are on duty;
• Defective pool equipment that makes pool water cloudy or hard to see through; and
• Failure to post warning signs, such as no diving.

Staying Safe by the Pool

Keeping your children safe in residential swimming pools requires that you stay close, alert, and watch children in and around the pool. Never allow children to be in a pool area by themselves, even if they have some basic swimming skills as drowning can still occur. Teach your children basic water safety tips, including never running around the pool or going in the water without an adult present. Also, it is important to learn to perform CPR in case of an emergency.

Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Legal Experience to Work For Your Case!

The Personal Injury Attorneys at Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law, help injured people throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast, and are committed to providing exceptional service to each client.

No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.

Source:
http://www.poolsafely.gov/pool-spa-safety/staying-safe-pools-spas/residential-swimming-pools/