Essential Water Safety Tips for Teens: Staying Safe While Having Fun
August 12, 2024
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By Amber Kroeker, Child Injury Prevention Program Supervisor for Randall Children's Hospital
With summer in full swing and temperatures rising, it's the time of year when adolescents are outdoors enjoying time with friends. While this season brings plenty of fun, it also presents unique safety challenges, especially around water
Parents may not realize that their teenager has a greater risk around water because they are more likely to overestimate their skills and underestimate dangerous situations. While teens lack experience and engage in risk-taking behaviors, they also tend to feel invincible, which can lead to hazardous situations in the water.
Adolescence is a time of growth and experimentation for teens ages 12 to 18, which may include experimentation with alcohol and other drugs that impair judgment. Risk-taking behaviors are particularly dangerous around natural water, including lakes, rivers, and the ocean, where visibility is diminished.
According to statistics, the rate of fatal drownings in natural water for teens 15 to 17 years old is more than three times higher than for children who are between 5 and 9 years old.
Every year, teens congregate near our local waterways to enjoy summer. The health education team at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel encourages families to openly discuss water safety with their adolescents. Here are some tips to empower teens to have fun while safely enjoying our beautiful local waterways.
Tips for parents:
Ensure your teen is a confident swimmer and never swims alone. Enroll them in swim lessons if they’re not already skilled, as many organizations offer programs specifically for teens and adults. Not only can these lessons enhance their swimming abilities, but they might also spark an interest in advanced courses like lifeguard training, which further boosts their water safety knowledge
Near natural water, in the ocean, or while boating, your teen should wear a life jacket. Adolescents should always wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets whenever they are in or on boats, jet skis, and other watercraft. Adults should role model appropriate water safety by wearing their own U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets and being ready to help in an emergency.
Paddleboards offer a fantastic way for teens to have fun on the water. However, it's important to use them safely. Always remember to detach the leash when paddling in swift-moving water, such as rivers, as it can pose a risk if you fall in or get caught. Leashes are best used on calm, still water like lakes to keep you connected to your board and safe.
Talk to your teen about how alcohol and drugs make being in or on the water more dangerous. Adolescents should never swim if they have ingested substances that would decrease their decision-making skills.
Drowning can occur silently and, in an instant, making it crucial for everyone to stay vigilant. Since it often goes unnoticed until it's too late, it's essential for teens to actively monitor each other while swimming and to always swim with a buddy.
Teens should be educated in rescue techniques before coming to the aid of a friend in trouble. Teenagers have drowned trying to save a friend. Always ensure your teen is swimming with a friend or adult who has CRP training.
Encourage your teen to enter the water feet first. While it may be tempting to dive into the water headfirst, water depth can be deceiving. Going in feet first helps teens know whether there are underwater hazards like large rocks that can't be seen from the surface. Make sure they look for ― and follow ― any "No Diving" instructions posted.
Know your local laws about teens operating watercraft. Ensure your teen knows never to rely on inflatable tubes and rafts as life preservers.
Learn about the Randall Children's Hospital Childhood Safety and Injury Prevention program
