Water Safety Crisis - Experts Urge Adults to Learn to Swim

Adult Swim Lessons are Invaluable for Year-Round Water Safety

PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, August 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Last year, more than 4,500 people in the U.S. lost their lives in drowning accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, roughly 80% of drowning victims in the U.S. are 15 or older.

While most people think drowning is an issue impacting babies and kids, three to four times as many adults as children drown each year. Despite the higher incidence of adult drownings, these tragedies tend to receive less attention than childhood cases.

Statistically, children are more likely to drown in bathtubs or swimming pools. Adults are more likely to drown in natural bodies of water such as rivers, lakes and oceans, which can pose hidden dangers like currents and steep drop-offs even when they appear calm on the surface.

“Overcoming a fear of water and gaining water safety skills are crucial for enjoying aquatic activities and feeling more comfortable around water at any age,” said Crystal Petrovich, Aquatics Program Specialist at British Swim Schools and member of the U.S. Swim School Association. “Participating in formal swim lessons as an adult can help reduce the chances of drowning and provide a level of confidence in and around water.”

Many adults overestimate their swimming abilities and have never taken formal swimming lessons. While more than 80% of adults claim they can, over 50% of all Americans cannot swim. Men are especially apt to rate themselves as capable swimmers, but a recent CDC report found that fewer than half of all U.S. male adults have ever taken a formal swimming lesson.

Adult swim lessons teach vital water safety skills like floating, treading water and basic rescue techniques, which can be lifesaving.

“Misperceiving swimming abilities can prevent adults from accurately determining their risk level around water and increase the cases of ‘double drowning’,” added Petrovich. “Double drowning occurs when people, often parents, without any formal rescue training or equipment, jump into the water to rescue someone who is struggling and end up becoming victims themselves.”

Adult drowning incidents also frequently involve alcohol, which can significantly impair judgment, hinder large motor skills, delay reaction time and compromise coordination. “If you’re intoxicated and you fall into the water, your ability to coordinate breathing and muscular movements will not be as strong as when you’re sober, increasing the risk of drowning,” said Petrovich.

By taking formal swim lessons, adults are not only positively impacting themselves, but they are also affecting every generation to come. The importance of swim lessons becomes ingrained in your family culture.

“Research shows if your parents don’t know how to swim, you are only 19% likely to learn how to swim yourself,” Petrovich concluded. “If we encourage adults to become trained swimmers, they are more likely to register their kids and grandkids in formal swim lessons.”

As an adult, being confident in water above your head, open water and moving water are skills that cannot be overstated. Whether you’re learning to swim to save yourself in an emergency, to protect your kids in water or as a form of aerobic exercise, adult swim lessons are a valuable investment.

For more information about where to find a reputable swim school and adult swim lessons in your area, visit the U.S. Swim School Association website at www.usswimschools.org.

Charlotte Shaff
THE MEDIA PUSH
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