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Preventing summer tragedies on the water
Being out on the water can already be dangerous, and when alcohol is in the mix, it could be even worse. Officials say 41 percent of open-water drownings in Texas involve young people ages 20–39.
AUSTIN, Texas - Summer means more teens are out and about, but unfortunately, that also means more risks.
Being out on the water can already be dangerous, and when alcohol is in the mix, it could be even worse.
What they're saying:
Officials say 41 percent of open-water drownings in Texas involve young people ages 20–39, but there is risk at any age.
August is the deadliest month. Twenty-five percent of boating fatalities in the state happen then.
The third leading cause of death for teenagers is open water drowning.
Colin's Hope, a drowning prevention nonprofit, started after a family went through a tragedy.
"They started Colin's Hope when their son died, coming up on the 20th anniversary actually this weekend. He had just taken swimming lessons, was at a public pool with family, friends, lifeguards, and he drowned," Tim Spice, board chair of Colin's Hope said.
Colin's Hope is teaming up with different agencies to bring awareness to water safety.
"What most of them may not realize is how much their safety, especially kids' safety, is placed at risk when water recreation involves alcohol," Nicole Holt, CEO of Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth, said.
By the numbers:
Underage alcohol use goes up in the summer months.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, for the year 2025, there were 58 open-water drownings across the state.
There were 223 BWIs (boating while intoxicated cases) last year. 89 percent of alcohol-related incidents involve injury or death.
"Teen access to alcohol and unsafe behavior around the water are a preventable risk, and prevention saves lives," Cody Jones, assistant commander with Texas Game Wardens said. "Young people are not invincible and tragedies happen fast, even to strong swimmers and competent teams."
What you can do:
Some safety tips include wearing a life jacket. Some Travis County parks have free life jackets you can borrow.
Take swim lessons. If you're supervising a water activity, don't be distracted.
Talk to your kids about the risks of underage drinking and water safety. If you have alcohol at home, keep it out of reach.
Officials want to make sure parks are a safe and enjoyable place to be.
"First, the public display of the consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited. Intoxicated individuals are also prohibited, and individuals that become intoxicated in our parks will be removed," Michael Tanner, senior park ranger with Travis County Parks, said.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen