Learning to swim at the local swimming pool is an important rite of passage but some children never learn or their lessons are cut short before they reach competence in the water.
This can be a problem as they take on risky behaviours as teens and young adults, judging by the number of drowning deaths in B.C.
In July alone in this province, there were 43 drowning deaths, up from 25 in the same period in 2012, according to BC Stats. That's an astonishing number.
Further study reveals that the likeliest age groups for drowning are people 20 to 29 years of age, and older people, between the age of 50 and 59, proving that no one is too young or too old to learn to be safe around water.
Our advice: Check out your local listings for low-cost swimming lessons for yourself and your youngsters, and stay safe around the water this summer and many summers to come.
