Neon swimsuits won’t float a bad safety plan this summer

“If the child gets into a non-secured fenced pool, it doesn’t matter what color bathing suit they wear — especially if they’re not wearing a life jacket and no one around knows CPR.”

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1 to 4 years old. It can happen in seconds, often without warning, and is commonly unnoticed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lazarus said these drownings are “completely preventable.”

“We see these come in all summer, multiple times a day, and it’s heartbreaking to lose a child from drowning,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Which colors are most visible?

In a 2021 visibility test, ALIVE Solutions Inc., a company specializing in aquatic safety, tested swimsuit colors to assess their visibility in both pools and open water. Results showed certain colors are easier to see than others once fully submerged.

According to the study, neon pink and neon orange were among the easiest colors to spot in the water, while white and light blue were the hardest to see.

Credit: ALIVE Solutions Inc.

Credit: ALIVE Solutions Inc.

While bright-colored swimsuits may be seen as an added safety measure, it also creates a dangerous false sense of security. Lazarus said parents should prioritize the proven safety strategies that prevent drowning, such as close supervision, and think of swimsuit color as an extra precaution.

“If you can’t see them because they’re running around in a blue pool area and everyone is wearing blue, then it’s helpful to have an orange bathing suit on so you can supervise them,” she said.

Water safety tips

To help families prepare for a safe summer, Lazarus shared five strategies to protect children around pools, lakes and other bodies of water.

1. Maintain supervision at all times

Keep beginner swimmers within arm’s length, she encouraged, noting that supervision is the “number one” safety tip.

She recommends that parents test their child’s swimming ability. Those unable to swim two lengths of the pool without stopping should have a parent remain close enough to reach them.

For the child who is a competent swimmer, eyes-reach supervision is the next step.

“You want to be able to keep your eyes on them at all times — without distractions and without alcohol,” Lazarus said.

2. Use Coast Guard-approved life jackets

Children should wear properly fitted life jackets when on large bodies of water, such as lakes and oceans.

Parents should follow the same supervision rules that they would use at a pool, keeping young children within arm’s length and always within sight.

3. Sign up for year-round swim lessons

Lazarus agrees with the American Academy of Pediatrics that swim lessons should begin at age 1 and be continuous. Swimming is a skill that needs to be worked on year-round, she said.

Some parents choose survival swim lessons, which teach young children how to roll onto their backs, float and reach the pool’s edge. While those techniques may be helpful, Lazarus cautioned that the research remains limited.

“You can’t rely on them,” she said. “And it goes against everything we’re saying with arms-length supervision and eyes-reach supervision.”

4. Parents, you need swim lessons, too

It’s not too late for parents to learn to swim, and it could save their child’s life, Lazarus said.

“You can’t save your child if you yourself don’t know how to swim,” she said.

5. Learn CPR

Learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is the first chain of survival once a drowning has occurred, and every parent needs to become certified, said Lazarus.

“There is no other class where you have the chance to be a hero and save someone’s life,” she said.