Drowning Prevention: CDC Water Safety Steps for Pools, Lakes and Beaches
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How we wrote this: A plain-English summary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) drowning pages (Preventing Drowning, updated September 29, 2025; Drowning Facts, updated January 27, 2026), checked October 29, 2026. In an emergency, call 911.
The CDC says drowning happens in seconds and is often silent, and it can happen to anyone with access to water. Here are the CDC's numbers and its prevention steps.
The numbers
The CDC estimates that each year in the United States there are:
- About 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings, an average of 11 a day (an average of 4,083 a year from 2012 to 2021).
- About 8,000 nonfatal drownings, an average of 22 a day, based on emergency department visits.
For children ages 1–4, drowning kills more than any other cause. For ages 5–14 it is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death, after motor vehicle crashes. Nonfatal drowning can cause long-term problems, including brain damage.
CDC prevention steps
- Supervise closely and constantly. Name a responsible adult to watch children in or near water, including bathtubs, and avoid phones, reading, alcohol or drugs while watching. The CDC says to supervise closely even when lifeguards are present.
- Learn swimming and water safety skills. Formal swimming lessons can reduce drowning risk, but children who've had lessons still need close supervision.
- Fence pools on all four sides. The CDC recommends a fence at least four feet high that fully encloses the pool and separates it from the house, with self-closing, self-latching gates. Remove toys from the pool area after swim time, and lock doors that lead to water.
- Wear a life jacket. Life jackets reduce drowning risk while boating for all ages and abilities. The CDC says children should wear them for all activities in and around natural water. Air-filled or foam toys are not safety devices.
- Learn CPR, through groups such as the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
- Know the risks of natural water. Lakes, rivers and oceans have currents, waves, rocks, vegetation and poor visibility. Check the forecast first.
- Avoid alcohol before or during water activities, and while supervising children.
- Use the buddy system and choose sites with lifeguards when possible.
- Take extra care with medical conditions and medications that affect balance, coordination or judgment; the CDC suggests one-on-one supervision for people with seizure disorders.
- Don't hyperventilate or hold your breath for long underwater. The CDC warns this can cause you to pass out ("shallow water blackout").
At the beach
Ocean beaches add rip currents and surf. See our guides to rip current safety, beach weather and lightning and heat safety.