Water-park Victim Makes Holiday Accident Claim

It seems to be the perfect day. Blue sky, bright sunshine, and an exciting trip to a water park. It should be a day full of fun and laughter, where happy memories are created. Children run excitedly amongst the Jacuzzis and water flumes, exploring the many thrills of the ‘aqua park’. They smile for the camera, relaxed and happy now they are away from the pressure of the classroom.

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Water Park Holiday Accident Claim Picture

Yet for some holidaymakers last year, their day out at the water-park ended in tears. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, there were over six hundred water related fatalities last year and around 8% of these involved swimming pools or water-parks. Jessica, now a water safety campaigner, was only 11 when she fell from a slide in Malaga, ‘I was just a kid having fun. You don’t think about boring stuff like checking the screws are tight. You presume that the pool attendants make those checks. I was racing my friend on a flume with two lanes when the slide cracked. I fell twenty metres onto the concrete below. The impact paralysed me and now I have to use a wheelchair.’

The stories in the news are usually tragedies like Jessica’s. Every summer there is a horrific incident involving water slides or an ‘aqua park’. Yet many smaller accidents take place in swimming pools, which, although often unreported, can lead to permanent disability. When asked to describe a common hazard involving water, most people mention drowning. Surprisingly, many swimmers are injured because there is not enough water, rather than through fitness difficulties or unpredictable tides.

Diving is a popular way to enter the hotel pool. Jumping off a diving board expresses a feeling of freedom that the heat and sunshine can bring. But many ‘holiday divers’ have had no official tuition, and are unaware of safety precautions such as checking the water depth. Diving into shallow water can lead to concussion, broken bones, severe cuts and bruises, even to a coma or death. Unlike British swimming pools, hotel pools are rarely used for competitive diving. Many view their diving boards as ornaments or novelty toys rather than a working piece of sports equipment. Foreign hotels are often lax in basic safety checks, both of equipment and water depth.

Water Park Holiday Accident Claim Picture

When it comes to head injury, a few centimeters of water can make all the difference. Jessica now dedicates her life to promoting water safety issues, and educating UK nationals about the dangers of swimming and diving abroad. ‘What happened to me cannot be reversed. But I hope through my campaigning, people will realise the dangers of using water flumes and swimming pools abroad.’

When considering a trip to any form of water-park, ensure that it meets National safety standards. Ask the regular pool attendants about the safety checks they do on a daily and weekly basis. If they seem more interested in applying suntan lotion and making you cocktails, steer clear! A day out at a water-park can bring happy memories that should last a lifetime. However, experts advise that tourists should prioritise their safety, to ensure those memories can be treasured for years to come.