To limit the risk of drowning and maximize the chances of intervening in the event of danger, specialists recommend banning certain colors from children’s swimsuits.
With the return of summer, a question comes to mind: which swimsuit to wear? A complex decision, with many criteria to take into account. Because choosing a swimsuit is not just a question of style or comfort, but also of safety. In France, accidental drownings are responsible for around 1,000 deaths each year, according to figures from the Ministry of Health, and a quarter of them concern children under six years old. The reason: insufficient surveillance.
To avoid tragedies, several solutions are possible, such as installing barriers around domestic swimming pools, or respecting times and supervised swimming areas. But one of them is often forgotten: choosing a swimsuit of the right color.
Because we don’t necessarily think about it, but this parameter can have a significant impact on the child’s visibility from the edge of the beach or swimming pool, including when they are in the water. An appropriate color can save precious seconds when intervening in the event of a drowning!
Bernard Fisher, of the American Lifeguard Association, explains to CNN that it is best to avoid blue, gray and green tones, which blend into the water of a swimming pool from 50 cm deep. Dark colors like black and purple, as well as white, should also be avoided, as ripples in the water cause distortion when viewed from the surface. Therefore, the former merge with shadows in a white pool, and the lighter colors resemble the reflections of a cloud when the water is murky brown.
Also, it is better for children to choose swimsuits in bright, contrasting colors, which stand out more clearly on the water. Neon pink, neon orange, neon green, bright red and neon yellow are the most visible colors underwater and on the surface, whether in a swimming pool, at sea or in fresh water. In addition, this allows you to spot your offspring at a glance if they stray onto a beach or into a crowded swimming pool. It’s only profit!