Data Reveals A Large Number Of Idaho Kids Can’t Swim

Water safety is something people need to pay close attention to year-round, but it's particularly crucial in the spring when water levels are high and currents are fast due to runoff from winter snowmelt. Drownings can be prevented in many cases.

Do you have a child (or children) who is around water in the warmer months but doesn't  know how to swim?  If so, you're not alone.

Southern Idaho is known as a destination where water recreation is a top activity among the majority of families due to the abundance of lakes, and the fact the Snake River cuts through the region. Boating, kayaking, float tubing, rockhounding, and paddleboarding is so common in the Magic Valley, that just about everywhere we go we see families out on the water, practically seven days a week in the warm months.

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Data Has Found That A Staggering Number Of American Children And Adults Can't Swim

Approximately 4,000 Americans die each year from drownings, and a large percentage of those adults and kids weren't properly taught to swim, according to information provided by Ocean State Media. This lack of knowledge and understanding of the dangers of being in the water without possessing the skills to stay afloat is felt in every state.

A Red Cross survey found that as many as 60 percent of children and teens don't know the basic methods used to avoid drowning, like the arm and leg motions needed to stay afloat.

READ MORE: In Search Of Southern Idaho's Best Swimming Hole

Items such as swimming safety vests are a good defense for children, but aren't completely affective if, for instance, a child gets swept away by a river current or ends up in the water in the middle of a lake for an extended period of time.

For information on swimming lessons in Twin Falls, click here.