Many children are attracted to water. On a hot day, the lure of a swimming pool can be very hard for them to resist. But often children are oblivious to the dangers water can possess. It is estimated that every year, approximately 350 children who are under 5 years of age drown in pool accidents.
In Texas, many people own backyard pools to help them beat the summer heat. And while these pools offer fun and convenience, owning and maintaining a pool is a tremendous responsibility. In fact, pool owners typically bear legal responsibility for that which happens in their pools.
Anyone who owns a pool should maintain special safeguards to help ensure that everyone, especially children, is protected from potential harm. So what should pool owners do to lessen the likelihood of a child drowning or being injured?
Well, for one thing, a fence that is not less than 4 feet high should be erected around the pool. The fence gates should self-close and self-latch. The latch should be located above the reach of small children.
An accessible pool should never be left unattended and children who use the pool should always be accompanied by a responsible person. Further, toys should not be left floating in a pool as a child may be tempted to go in after them.
Everyone can have fun in a backyard pool, but it is vital that pool owners do all they can to keep the pool environment safe. If you should ever suffer the loss of a loved one in a fatal drowning accident due to the negligence of a pool owner, you may wish to contact a Texas personal injury attorney. An attorney with experience handling cases involving swimming pools can offer you guidance and advice as you seek accountability and compensation for the accident.