On average in Switzerland, 45 people die from drowning each year, according to the Swiss Lifesaving Society (SLRG), whose mission is to prevent swimming accidents.
While there are no official statistics explaining the causes of drowning accidents in Switzerland, the World Health Organization (WHO) lists poor swimming skills, medical conditions, and unfamiliarity with the risks of being in open water, among the main factors.
Also, you need to take care when jumping into lakes and rivers n unsupervised areas. If the water is cold swimmers, even strong ones, can suffer from the phenomenon known as "cold water shock".
This can be avoided by submerging yourself slowly, rather than diving or running in, to give your body time to adapt. You can also splash water onto your face as you enter.
In the vast majority of cases there are ways to prevent such tragic accidents from happening.
This is what the SLRG suggests:
Educate and supervise children
Drowning is the second leading cause of fatal accidents among children, a fact that should raise red flags for any parent.
While not leaving young kids alone in the water and supervising them at all times is an obvious recommendation, education is all-important as well.
That's why the SLRG launched a prevention project called “Water and Me,” to familiarise children, aged 4 to 7, with the correct behaviour to adopt in and around water, in order to minimise the risk of swimming accidents.
But parents have a major role to play as well, beyond mere supervision. It is important that children have swimming lessons from an early age to learn water safety skills and reduce the risk of drowning.
Even if you are a good swimmer, alcohol may dull and slow down your senses, making you less alert and aware of dangers in the water.
Not only you might neglect any warning signs — such as loss of control, for instance — but you could also be unable to react to these dangers quickly enough.
Go slow
This is especially important in very hot weather.
If you are overheated, you may want to just jump into the river or lake to cool down.
But this could cause a condition called 'cold water shock', characterised by changes in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure; if that happens, you are at a risk of drowning, even if you are a good swimmer.
Therefore, you should first drink sufficient amount of water and lie in the shade to cool your body before going to swim.
Leave the airbed on shore
If you’re heading into deep water, don’t use an airbed or swimming aid, since they offer little protection and might give you a false sense of security.
It is better to use them in confined spaces like swimming pools rather than in open waters such as lakes and rivers.
Swim with a friend
You may consider yourself a strong swimmer, but it’s best to never swim long distances alone. Even the best swimmers can experience a moment of weakness.
By the same token, avoid secluded places.
Though you may find it relaxing to get away from the crowds, when it comes to swimming, there is safety in numbers.
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