Florida Tops Nation in Child Drownings as Swim Schools Push Year-Round Safety

In Florida, water accidents claim more young lives than any other state. Swimming instruction cuts this risk by 88%, according to local water safety experts in Tampa Bay.

"We obviously promote water safety 365 days a year, but in the month of May, during National Water Safety Month, it really gives us an opportunity to amplify that message," said Julia Stewart, with Watermelon Swim, to ABC Action News.

Water claims 11 lives daily across the U.S. — that's 4,000 yearly — with almost nine out of 10 toddler deaths occurring in home pools.

Each week, thousands of kids splash and learn at Tampa Bay swim centers. Instructors stress starting water training when babies first show mobility.

"This should be the first activity that parents do with their kids, because it can save their lives," said Lindsay Purslove, owner of Swimtastic Swim School, to WINK News.

After car crashes, drowning ranks as the second-deadliest accident for kids 5-14 years old, while lakes and oceans pose the biggest threat to older children.