When choosing a swimsuit, aside from factors like price, fit, style, functionality, popularity, and personal preference, the color is something you should definitely consider. The color you choose can have a significant impact on your safety while swimming, potentially even a matter of life and death. So, which colors are the most dangerous?
According to a report from Reader’s Digest, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, the primary danger of engaging in water activities is drowning, the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 years.
Lisa Zarda, the Executive Director of the U.S. Swim School Association, mentioned that in drowning incidents involving children aged 5 to 14, 40% occurred in natural bodies of water. The statistics differ when considering all drowning locations, including pools, hot tubs, and bathtubs.
Drowning incidents are not limited to children. CDC reports show that over 4,500 adults in the United States die annually from accidental drowning, with an additional 8,000 non-fatal drowning incidents leading to emergency room visits.
Choosing the right color swimsuit can enhance your visibility in the water, making it easier for lifeguards or others to spot you. In times of crisis where every second counts, this visibility can play a crucial role.
While increased visibility doesn’t eliminate the risk of drowning, when utilized effectively along with other safety measures, it can be a powerful tool in managing potential risks.
Colors in the “light-reflecting spectrum” (such as green, blue, and white) and “water-blending spectrum” (such as dark blue and black) are considered the most dangerous. These colors either blend with the surrounding environment or lack sufficient contrast with the water’s surface due to low visibility.
In simpler terms, these colors are more likely to blend into the water environment compared to others, reducing visibility for both you and others. This means that lifeguards, family, or bystanders may not notice your distress until it’s too late.
Zarda suggests opting for bright colors to enhance your visibility in the water. Fluorescent colors, especially orange and yellow, are often the most easily spotted in various aquatic environments.
However, once waves or ripples appear on the water’s surface, nearly any color becomes extremely difficult to distinguish below the water. Tom Griffiths, a water safety expert and consultant with decades of experience, describes the fragmented waves on the water’s surface as “fuzzy bathroom glass or bathroom window.”
He added that the same difficulty applies to swimming pools with white bottoms. When surface disturbances occur, vibrant colors underwater also become difficult to discern. Therefore, the color of your swimsuit alone should not be relied upon as the sole preventive measure against drowning incidents for yourself or your child.
If children wear brightly colored fluorescent swimsuits, they are less likely to be confused with the pool bottom and won’t become as hard to distinguish in the surface glare as light-colored swimsuits might. This makes it easier for others to notice them underwater.
Furthermore, don’t forget to prepare life jackets for children. Griffiths strongly recommends using Coast Guard-certified life jackets. He stated, “The life jacket itself doesn’t fail, but parents and lifeguards may fail due to negligence.”
Besides drowning, another danger to consider when playing in the sea is shark attacks. It’s believed that wearing a yellow swimsuit could attract sharks. However, in reality, any color that creates a strong visual contrast in the eyes of a shark may attract them. This suggests that certain types of swimsuits should be avoided when swimming in the sea.
To avoid attracting the attention of sharks, refrain from wearing high-contrast or complex patterned swimsuits. While stripes may look fashionable, designs with alternating light and dark stripes should be avoided. The same applies to designs with light patterns on a dark background, such as checkered patterns, which might appear too “enticing” to sharks.
Although many shark species are color blind, this doesn’t mean they cannot differentiate color contrasts. Apart from choosing swimsuits with low-contrast tones, experts also recommend leaving jewelry and watches on the shore. In the water, these shiny items can reflect light like fish scales, increasing the risk of shark attacks.
When it comes to swimming, it’s an excellent full-body aerobic exercise that not only strengthens the entire muscle groups and cardiovascular functions but also burns a significant amount of calories, aiding in maintaining a healthy weight. Previous studies have found that swimming can improve brain health and enhance cognitive abilities.