We live in a world that’s completely inundated with screens. We spend our work days staring into desktops and laptops. We unwind in front of the TV in the evenings.
But of all the screens vying for our attention every day, none is better at seducing us than the one sitting in our pockets: the smartphone. Some studies put the average time Americans spend interacting with their phone at just over 3 hours a day!
Of all the dangerous ways a person can multitask, one of the worst is using their phone at the pool. This habit can have disastrous consequences for you, your pets, your loved ones, and even that technological marvel in your palm. Swimming safety is no joke!
While water damage to your phone can be an irritating (and expensive problem), but it’s hardly the biggest issue with bringing your phone to the pool.
It’s Always a Distraction
All that time we spend on our phone reading the news or playing Candy Crush is time we’re not watching our kids. And if that happens when the little ones are swimming, that can be incredibly dangerous.
Our phones seem to always be a massive distraction for us — even when they’re turned off. A study in 2014 in which 50 college students were asked to perform various motor tasks with or without their phones in view, found that people performed much worse with their phones visible on the table. According to the researchers, just seeing the phone reminded subjects of all the things they could be doing with it — texting friends, watching videos, etc. — and they became too distracted to perform simple tasks.
The results of the study indicate just how dangerous having our phones at the pool can be. Whether we’re hosting a pool party for family and friends or just having a private dip with the family, it is critically important that any young children are supervised. If we’re engrossed in our phones (or even thinking about what might be on our phones), our ability to protect loved ones is severely diminished.
Dealing with Phones at the Pool
Bringing your phone to the pool may seem harmless at first blush. However, it’s easy to see how this little distraction can be incredibly dangerous — and have devastating consequences. In 2017, 163 children under 15 accidentally drowned in a swimming pool, and 112 of the victims were under the age of 5. Every one of these tragedies is utterly heartbreaking, and at All-Safe we are determined to keep families safe with safety tools and smart pool rules. As far as we’re concerned, keeping your phone away from the water is rule number one!
We know what you’re thinking: “I want to keep a weather eye on my kids, but I have to have my phone for emergencies. What am I supposed to do?” This mindset is totally understandable; cell phones have completely changed the way we look at the world, and many of us feel that it’s necessary to always be reachable in an emergency. However, it is possible to keep in touch with the world and keep your phone away from the pool.
Instead of keeping your phone on your person, simply leave it outside the pool area. Turn up the ringer (so you’ll hear it in an emergency), and place it somewhere in the yard — just make sure it’s not in your sightline. If you have a pool safety fence surrounding your swimming area, leave the phone on the other side. This will keep you from getting distracted and protect it from any rogue splashes!
If your phone does ring while you’re at the pool, make sure another adult is there to watch the kids before you go answer it. Adult supervision is absolutely essential at the swimming pool, and it becomes even more important when young swimmers are present. Never, NEVER leave children to swim without a lifeguard. No emergency is big enough to warrant leaving a kid unattended.
Comprehensive Pool Safety
For questions about how to improve the safety of your pool, you can always reach out to All Safe. We specialize in pool safety fences, nets, and covers as an important step to keeping your kids safe. Contact your local dealer for a free on-site consultation and quote.
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