11 Water Safety Practices to Keep Your Whole Family Safe

Spending time on the water can be great for your mental health. It’s also good for your physical health if you engage in activities like swimming, canoeing, or paddleboarding. 

But pools, lakes, rivers, and oceans can also pose safety risks. Below you’ll find 11 ways to stay safe in and around water. 

1. Ensure there is a lifeguard on duty

Many community pools and outdoor recreation areas have lifeguards on duty. Lifeguards are trained to save lives in the water and perform CPR. 

At the beach, the chances of drowning where there are no lifeguard on duty is nearly five times greater than drowning with a lifeguard on watch. While drownings still occur in guarded areas, swimming near a lifeguard adds a layer of protection. Search online for pools, lakes, and beaches with lifeguards. 

2. Make sure everyone knows how to swim

Being able to swim can save your life. It’s especially important for younger children who are at the highest risk for drowning. Some studies suggest that kids ages 1 to 4 who take swim lessons have a lower risk of drowning. 

In addition to swimming, the American Red Cross recommends that kids and adults be able to perform a set of water competency skills. These skills include:

• Stepping or jumping into water that’s over your head

• Returning to the water’s surface and floating or treading water for at least 1 minute

• Turning in a full circle and finding an exit point

• Swimming 25 yards to the exit

• Exiting the water, including without a ladder if you’re in a pool

To find swim lessons or a place to refresh your skills, check with your community pool, your local YMCA, or ask friends for referrals for a private instructor.

3. Don’t swim under the influence

Alcohol and water activities are a dangerous combination. Alcohol can impair your judgment and coordination, and increase risk-taking behavior. In fact, alcohol use was involved in up to 70% of water recreation deaths, according to one study.

So for your safety, don’t drink and get in the water. In addition, be cautious about alcohol use if you’re on a boat. It’s estimated that 1 in 5 deaths associated with boating involved alcohol. 

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4. Check the water currents and temperature

Some water conditions aren’t safe for swimming. For example, rip tides and quick changes in wind and water currents at the ocean can be dangerous even for strong swimmers.

Harmful algal blooms have also created toxic conditions for swimmers at U.S. beaches and lakes. They occur when algae plants in the water grow out of control. 

Before you go, check water conditions by:

• Visiting the National Weather Service’s surf zone forecasts for rip current risks along the East and West Coasts, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico

• Using the Environmental Protection Agency’s search tool for beach advisories and closings

• Checking the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science’s harmful algal bloom monitoring system

• Searching water conditions, including tide levels and temperature, on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s tides and current website

Some public lakes and beaches post warning flags. Here’s what they mean:

• Double red: Beaches are closed to the public.

• Single red: Swimming conditions are risky because of high surf or strong currents.

• Yellow: Be cautious and stay close to shore.

• Green: Waters are safe.

• Purple: Marine pests like stingrays and jellyfish are in the waters.

5. Do not swim alone

Always take a friend with you when you go for a swim. About 32% of drowning deaths happen when someone is in the water by themselves. If you get into trouble, a friend can try to rescue you, call for help, and stay with you until help arrives. The American Red Cross recommends always swimming in pairs.

And never leave children alone. Drowning is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for children ages 1 to 4. It’s also the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death for kids ages 5 to 14. Always supervise kids without distraction and keep younger children and weaker swimmers within arm’s length.

6. Know the signs of drowning

Knowing what to look for when someone is drowning can help save lives. The signs of drowning may surprise you. A drowning is often silent and can happen in under 30 seconds. 

Here are the most common signs of drowning: 

• The person’s head will appear low in the water, with their mouth at water level.

• Their eyes will look glassy and empty.

• They may be unable to focus or their eyes may be closed.

• Their hair might fall over their eyes or forehead.

• They may look like they're not kicking their legs.

• They might appear to be swimming in one direction but not getting anywhere.

• They might be gasping for air.

• They may appear to be rolling over on their back.

• It may look like they’re using their arms and legs to climb a ladder.

7. Use life vests and personal flotation devices

Wearing a lifejacket or other flotation device also saves lives. They can keep you afloat if you accidentally fall in the water or have to jump in to rescue someone else. 

In some states, life vests are required for anyone on a boat. Always check state boating laws before heading out. This directory with state contact information can help.

Federal law requires kids under 13 to wear a lifejacket on a boat except below deck or in an enclosed cabin.

Other situations that require a life vest or where a life vest is recommended include:

• Water skiing and other activities in which you’re being towed behind a boat

• On jet skis (personal watercrafts)

• White-water boating activities such as rafting

• Sailboarding

You can choose from a variety of life vests, jackets, and other flotation devices. Find one that’s appropriate for your weight and water activity. And make sure to get Coast Guard-approved devices. 

8. Don’t dive in shallow depths

Diving into shallow waters is dangerous. It can cause impact to your head and neck, resulting in serious injury. According to the American Red Cross, most diving injuries happen in 5 feet of water or less. 

To be safe, the Red Cross recommends:

• Not diving in water that’s less than 9 feet deep

• Not diving if the depth is not marked

• Not diving anywhere you see “no diving” signs

• Only diving headfirst in areas marked safe for diving

• Looking for anything that could cause a collision, like another person or hidden objects underwater

• Not diving into ocean waves headfirst

• Entering lakes and rivers feet first

9. Only swim in safe designated areas

Designated swim areas are areas that have been developed and maintained for safe swimming. Many of these areas have lifeguards on duty, rescue equipment, and signs with safety information. They also tend to be clear of underwater hazards like trees, trash, and other debris. 

You can find designated swim areas at public and private campgrounds and recreational areas along lakes, rivers, and beaches. If you’re not sure an area is designated as safe, it’s better to assume it’s not safe. 

10. Be aware of deep areas

Deep water can pose danger depending on your height and swimming ability. Look for pools where the depth is marked or bodies of water with buoy lines. 

Non-swimmers should remain in shallow areas. Children should be supervised vigilantly and wear reliable floating devices around deep water.

Keep in mind that water depth can change suddenly in lakes, rivers, and oceans. Wearing a life vest can protect you from shifting bottoms.

11. Know your limits

Spending time on the water can be both refreshing and invigorating. It can also test your limits. Older swimmers may tire more easily. Younger swimmers may not use good judgment to assess a situation. Plus, your ability to swim in a still pool may seem easy, but it’s not the same as swimming in a flowing river or ocean waves.

No matter how strong of a swimmer you are, we all have limitations. Talk to your healthcare provider about medical conditions or your overall health before engaging in water activities. 

How can you ensure kids stay safe in the water?

If you’re a parent or guardian, you want to make sure your kids are safe in the water. Here are tips to help you protect your little ones:

• Sign your child up for swimming lessons. They can start as young as 1 year old.

• Make sure you can watch your child free of distractions when they are in or around water.

• Stay within arm’s length of a small child or weak swimmer.

• Alternate “water watchers” — adults who take turns watching kids without distractions for 15 minutes at a time.

• Use Coast Guard-approved life vests on kids of all ages.

• Install a fence that’s at least 4 feet tall around a home pool to prevent kids from climbing in the water alone.

• Get water safety and rescue training and learn CPR.

• Have a phone nearby in case of an emergency.

• Don’t rely on water toys like floaties and noodles to keep your child safe. They aren’t certified to protect children like a Coast Guard-approved vest.

• Show children how to stay away from pool drains. 

• Swim in designated areas. 

• Have children enter feet first in open water.

• Tell your child to not drink the water. Whether it’s chlorinated, fresh, or saltwater, it can contain harmful bacteria.

• Follow pool rules like no running on wet surfaces, no jumping on other swimmers, and no diving.

• Review water safety rules every time you visit a pool, lake, river, or beach.

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Written by:

Ana Gascon

Ana Gascon has over 15 years of writing and editing experience, with 8 years in health and medical content work. She is a versatile health and medical content creator who writes about acute conditions, chronic diseases, mental health challenges, and health equity.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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