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With swimming season quickly approaching, parents are already taking steps to keep their kids safe as experts reveal the best swimsuit color for visibility.
On March 27, social media influencer Shelby Ellimac took to Instagram to share a helpful reminder about the importance of choosing the right swimsuit color when shopping for children.Â
“Here’s a swimming guide showing how visible kids are underwater by the colors of their swimsuits,” Ellimac wrote in the caption.
The photo highlighted the stark difference between swimsuit visibility in a pool vs. a lake and other natural bodies of water — which could be key to preventing or saving a child from drowning.
According to the World Health Organization, “drowning is one of the leading causes of death globally for children and young people aged 1-24 years.”
An estimated 236,000 people drown every year — and children under the age of 5 are at the highest risk, per WHO.
Ellimac’s photo shows that the best swimsuit color for visibility in pools and lakes is bright pink. Black, red and orange were the most visible swimsuit colors in pools, while bright yellow and bright orange did well in open water.
“This is so helpful,” one Instagram user wrote in the comment section, while another added, “Never even thought about this wow!”
“Got it, orange, red and pink it is!” a third user wrote, with another adding, “So basically wear hot pink.”
Study confirms best swimsuit color for visibility
The helpful reminder comes several years after ALIVE Solutions Inc., a company that specializes in water safety, conducted a study on swimsuit visibility in pools and open water.Â
"Our bottom two colors are white and light blue,” ALIVE wrote of pool visibility, per Today.com. “And our top choices would be neon pink and neon orange.”
ALIVE further recommended anything neon yellow, green and orange in open water as the best swimsuit colors for visibility.
"Although the darker colors show up on a light pool bottom they can often be dismissed for a pile of leaves, dirt, or a shadow so I tend to stay away from those colors when possible,” ALIVE continued.
But even with the right swimsuit color, supervising and watching kids while they swim is just as important.
“The bright and contrasting colors help visibility, but it doesn’t matter what color your kids are wearing if you aren’t supervising effectively and actively watching!” the company adds.
According to Akron Children’s Hospital, parents should follow two basic rules when allowing their children near swimming holes.Â
The first rule of thumb was to “never leave a child unattended in or near water.”
“Assign yourself or another adult as the “designated watcher” who will closely monitor your child in or near water,” the hospital wrote. “And stay free of distractions like cell phone use.”
The second rule of thumb? Teach children how to swim.
“Kids at any age can take swimming lessons,” Akron Children’s Hospital added. “Children over 4 years old should learn the basics of swimming, like floating and treading water.”
