This means that fully 69 percent of the children who became victims in swimming pool accidents were not expected to be in or at the pool, but were found drowned or submerged in the water. Sixty-five percent of the accidents occurred in a pool owned by the victim's immediate family, and 33 percent of the accidents occurred in pools owned by relatives or friends. Fewer than two percent of the pool accidents were a result of children trespassing on property where they did not live or belong. Seventy-seven percent of the swimming pool accident victims had been missing for five minutes or less when they were found in the pool or submerged. Anyone who has cared for a toddler knows how fast young children can move.
Toddlers are inquisitive and impulsive and lack a realistic sense of danger.
These behaviors, coupled with a child's ability to move quickly and unpredictably, make swimming pools particularly hazardous for households with young children. It is unlikely that splashing or screaming will occur to alert a parent or caregiver that a child is in trouble. CPSC staff have reviewed a great deal of data on drownings and child behavior, as well as information on pool and pool barrier construction. The staff concluded that the best way to reduce child drownings in residential pools was for pool owners to construct and maintain barriers that would prevent young children from gaining access to pools. However, there are no substitutes for diligent supervision.