Summer Water Safety Tips: How to Prevent Drowning and Choose the Right Life Jacket

Summer in the Ozarks means lake days, pool parties, and float trips down some of the region's most beautiful rivers. It also means a seasonal rise in water-related injuries. The good news is that most water accidents are preventable. A few simple habits — starting with the right life jacket — can make the difference between a great day on the water and a trip to the emergency room. 

Why Water Safety Matters in the Ozarks This Summer 

Missouri and Arkansas are home to thousands of miles of lakes, rivers, and streams, and many families spend entire summer weekends on the water. Drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury death in young children, and it can happen quickly and quietly — often without the splashing or shouting people expect. Whether you're headed to a backyard pool or a full day on the lake, a little preparation goes a long way. 

How to Prevent Drowning: Water Safety Tips for Every Age 

Drowning prevention starts with a few consistent habits, no matter how confident a swimmer someone is: 

• Assign a “water watcher.” Designate one adult to watch children in or near the water at all times, with no phone and no distractions. Trade off every 15 to 20 minutes. 
• Stay within arm's reach of young children and inexperienced swimmers, even in shallow water. 
• Enroll kids — and adults — in swim lessons. Formal instruction lowers drowning risk at every age. 
• Skip alcohol when you're supervising kids in the water or operating a boat. 
• Install a four-sided, self-latching fence around backyard pools to separate the pool area from the house and yard. 
• Learn CPR. In a water emergency, the minutes before help arrives matter most. 
• Wear a properly fitted life jacket on boats, personal watercraft, and fast-moving rivers, regardless of swimming ability. 

Know the Warning Signs of Drowning 

Real drowning rarely looks like it does in movies. Instead of splashing and calling for help, a person in trouble is often quiet, with their head low in the water, mouth at water level, and body vertical rather than horizontal. They may look like they're climbing an invisible ladder or simply gasping. If something looks off, check on the swimmer right away rather than waiting to see if they wave for help. 

Choosing the Right Life Jacket for Boating, Kayaking, and Paddleboarding 

A life jacket, also called a personal flotation device (PFD), is one of the simplest and most effective tools for preventing drowning. The right one depends on the activity and the wearer. 

Types of life jackets, explained simply 

• Type II and III (“nearshore” and “flotation aid”): The most common choice for lakes, kayaking, and general boating. Comfortable for everyday wear. 
• Type I (“offshore”): Bulkier but designed to turn most wearers face-up in open or rough water — best for larger lakes or open water. 
• Inflatable PFDs: Comfortable for adult boaters and anglers, but not recommended for children under 16 or for personal watercraft use. 
• Type IV (throwable device): A ring buoy or cushion meant to be thrown to someone in trouble. It supplements, but doesn't replace, a worn life jacket. 

Whichever type you choose, fit matters more than style. A life jacket that's too big can ride up and fail to keep a child's head above water. It should fit snugly, and a properly sized jacket won't lift above a child's chin when they raise their arms overhead. 

Life jacket laws and coast guard requirements in Missouri and Arkansas 

Both states require young children to wear a life jacket any time they're aboard a moving vessel, though the age cutoff differs: 

• Missouri: Children under 7 must wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket while on any vessel, except when fully enclosed in a cabin area. 
• Arkansas: Children 12 and under must wear a securely fastened, Coast Guard–approved life jacket while on any vessel. 
• In both states, every person aboard a personal watercraft (like a jet ski) must wear a life jacket, regardless of age. 

Even where it isn't required by law, CoxHealth care teams recommend everyone — not just kids — wear a life jacket while boating. Most drowning victims in boating accidents were not wearing one. 

Pool Safety Tips for Backyard and Public Pools 

• Keep pool gates self-closing and self-latching, with the latch out of a small child's reach. 
• Remove floats, toys, and ladders from the pool area when it's not in use so children aren't drawn in unsupervised. 
• Keep rescue equipment, like a reaching pole or ring buoy, poolside and easy to grab. 
• Set clear “no diving” rules in shallow areas, and check posted depth markers before jumping in. 

Boating Safety Tips for Ozarks Lakes 

• Check that you have a properly fitted, Coast Guard–approved life jacket for every passenger before leaving the dock. 
• Check the weather and lake conditions before heading out, and know how to reach shore quickly if storms roll in. 
• Avoid alcohol while operating a boat — the rules and risks are similar to driving a car. 
• Take a boater education course, even if it isn't required for your age group. Most states require it for anyone born after a certain year. 

When to Seek Emergency Care After a Water Incident 

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away if someone has been submerged, has trouble breathing, is coughing persistently, or seems unusually tired or confused after being in the water — even if they seem okay at first. Some water-related breathing problems can develop hours after a scare, so it's always worth having a health care provider take a look.