Probability of Dying from Drowning

Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States, with lifetime odds of approximately 1 in 1,006. About 4,000 people die from unintentional drowning each year, and drowning is the single leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4.

Risk factors include lack of swimming ability, absence of barriers (fences) around pools, lack of close supervision, not wearing life jackets, alcohol use near water, and seizure disorders. Males account for about 80% of drowning deaths. African American children drown at rates 2.6 times higher than white children, often linked to historical inequities in access to pools and swim lessons.

Prevention measures include learning to swim, installing four-sided pool fencing with self-closing gates, close and constant supervision of children near water, wearing Coast Guard-approved life jackets, learning CPR, and never swimming alone. Enrolling children in formal swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% among children ages 1-4.