National:

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019

• Drowning is a leading cause of death for children. For children ages 1–14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes.

• For every child who dies from drowning, another eight require emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.

• More than 40% of individuals who are treated in emergency departments require hospitalization. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014)

• Most drownings happen in home swimming pools among children ages 1–4. More than half of fatal and nonfatal drownings among people 15 years and older occur in natural waters like lakes, rivers, or oceans.

• Every year in the United States there are an estimated 3,960 fatal unintentional drownings

North Dakota:

• From 2009 through 2013, 36 drowning deaths occurred. The majority of these drowning deaths occurred while in a lake or river (44%), followed by while in a bathtub (17%). (North Dakota Department of Health. 2015)

• From 2009 through 2013, 64% of people who died from drowning were male.

• Among adolescents and adults, alcohol use is involved in up to 70% of deaths associated with water recreation, almost 25% of emergency department visits for drowning, and about 20% reported boating deaths. (North Dakota Department of Health. 2015)