The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said every year in the U.S., there are more than 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths. But AAA insurance said there are things homeowners can do to reduce the risk.
AAA communications specialist Valerie Puma said pool owners should make sure they have a properly installed cover.
"You may not have a gathering happening this weekend. You may just be leaving the pool open. You're going to go in tomorrow. You don't know what's happening at night when you go to bed,” Puma said. “You want to make sure when the pool is not actively in use, we're putting that cover on because we could be preventing unintentional deaths."
Also, consider putting the pool behind a locked gate or using alarms.
Puma said keep your pool clean and clear, and don’t keep toys in or near the pool when it’s not in use, so kids don’t fall in trying to reach them. Make sure you’re keeping children and pets away from pool equipment.
"Especially with children with long hair. Their hair can be caught in a pool filter. They can be held under,” Puma said. “You want to make sure their clothing isn't getting stuck. They're not playing with mechanical devices."
It’s also a good idea to assign a sober adult to watch kids and other inexperienced swimmers. Keep life-saving equipment nearby, like a reaching pole or floats, in case of emergency. And AAA recommends learning CPR because that could help save lives.
