Five Tips To Avoid Swimming Pool Accidents

The weather is hot and humid. All you, your kids, friends and/or family want to do is bask in the water; particularly in the pool, but swimming pools are dangerous, especially for kids if certain precautions are left unchecked.

Swimming pools are an “attractive nuisance.” An attractive nuisance is an appealing object that presents danger to the child that encounters it. The law states a landowner can be held liable for injuries sustained to a trespassing child if it occurs on their land. Examples of other attractive nuisances are trampolines, random machinery, wells and tunnels, stairs and potentially dangerous animals.

While all these examples pose risks, swimming pools are a main culprit due to its pure attractiveness, especially on a hot summer day. Also consider, if the child or visitor is not trespassing and you allow them to swim in your pool, if the proper precautions aren’t met and they are injured, a personal injury suit could still be headed your way. It would be wise to follow the safety tips below to ensure a safe swimming experience for all involved.

1. Invest in a pool cover: A pool cover is always a solid investment. It’s a great way to prevent children, stumbling adults or the elderly from falling into a precarious and potentially harmful situation. A good-quality pool cover can support a minimum of 485 pounds per five square feet.
2. Swimming pool barriers: If you want true protection from who uses your pool, have fencing or swimming pool barriers installed. It may sound extreme but could save from a potential lawsuit. Many of today’s swimming pool barriers come with self-latching gates and alarm systems.
3. Safety railings: This one is self-explanatory. The easier it is for those using your pool to get in, out or brace themselves, the safer their experience will be.
4. Pool alarm: This also may seem extreme, but it can come in handy when trespassers try to sneak their way in. A pool alarm will go off if something or someone touches the surface of your pool. This alarm could be especially useful if you live in an environment where the weather rarely changes, and a pool cover is more of a pain than anything else.
5. Wrist alarms: A recent innovation in swimming pool technology is waterproof and key-locked child wrist alarms. If your child falls in or enters the pool in any fashion and the alarm is submerged, it’ll notify you that the child is either swimming or submerged in the water when they weren’t supposed to be.

If you fall victim to a swimming pool injury, a personal injury lawyer is there to lend a guiding force to fight for the settlement you deserve.

If you want your kids and anyone else interacting with your pool to be safe and want to protect your bank account from a potential lawsuit, invest in some of these precautions to ease your worries and enjoy the summer in your beautiful swimming pool.