Drowning Statistics in the United States

The scope of the problem

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is among the leading causes of unintentional injury death for children, and for children ages 1–4, most drownings happen in swimming pools. Thousands of fatal and nonfatal drownings occur every year in the United States.

Who is most at risk

• Children ages 1–4, most often in home pools
• Older children and teens in open water
• Adults where alcohol or inadequate supervision is involved

What the numbers tell us

Behind these statistics are specific, repeatable failures: missing barriers, absent supervision, and unsafe equipment. Each is preventable — which is why accountability and prevention go hand in hand.