Parents have been issued with a warning about the colour of their child’s swimming costume as it could be the difference between life and death in a pool or at the beach.
As the summer holidays get underway, families across the UK are preparing for a much-needed getaway to sunny beaches and poolside retreats both domestically and overseas.
However, parents planning to take their youngsters for a swim should pay attention to a vital safety tip: the colour of your child’s swimming costume could be a lifesaver.
The consumer watchdog Which? has issued a warning via Instagram, revealing that the shade of a swimsuit can make all the difference in a life or death situation, reports the Express.
Alive Solutions conducted tests on various colours and patterns in both open waters and swimming pools to assess visibility, prompting Which? to alert its followers with a stark message.
“The colour of your kid’s swimsuit could save their life,” Which? stated. “If you’re buying a swimming costume for your child, you should choose a bright neon block colour.”
They clarified that vibrant neon colours remain highly visible underwater, contrasting sharply with pale blues and whites which can become almost invisible, making it difficult to spot a child in distress.
In a series of tests evaluating swimwear visibility from different angles including surface level, shore perspective, and from above a shallow depth of two feet, many costumes were found to be “barely visible”.
The standout choices for maximum visibility were neon yellow, green, and orange, while other hues simply faded away.
The organisation noted: “While the darker colours could be seen, they could easily be mistaken for shadow or dirt.”
Alive Solutions’ research indicated that solid colours are more visible than patterns, with neon shades being the most detectable.
The study also found that small patterns don’t significantly affect visibility regardless of their colour.
Conversely, large dark patterns were shown to greatly diminish how noticeable swimwear is. For example, a plain neon orange swimsuit is more visible against a dark pool bottom compared to one with large navy stripes.
Therefore, when purchasing children’s swimwear, it’s advisable to choose neon colours to enhance safety.