As the summer holidays get underway, families throughout the country are preparing for much-anticipated getaways to sun-soaked beaches and poolside havens both domestically and overseas. Parents intending to take their youngsters for a dip should pay attention to a vital safety recommendation: the shade of your child’s swimsuit.
The consumer watchdog Which? has released an advisory through Instagram, disclosing that the tone of a swimsuit can make all the difference in a life or death scenario. Alive Solutions carried out experiments on different shades and designs in both open waters and swimming pools to evaluate visibility. Which? cautioned its followers with a sobering statement: “The colour of your kid’s swimsuit could save their life… if you’re buying a swimming costume for your child, you should choose a bright neon block colour.”
They clarified that brilliant neon shades stay extremely visible beneath the water, standing out dramatically against pale blues and whites which can become nearly invisible, making it difficult to identify a child in trouble.
In a sequence of experiments assessing swimwear visibility from various viewpoints including water level, shoreline angle, and from overhead at a modest depth of two feet, various costumes were discovered to be “barely visible”.
The outstanding options for optimal visibility were neon yellow, green, and orange, whilst other tones simply disappeared. In a swimming pool, bold and contrasting shades remained the most visible.
The consumer champion explained that swimwear in white and light blue proved to be the hardest to spot. This means passengers of all major airlines, including TUI, easyJet and Ryanair, are best advised not to pack white swimwear this summer.
Which? added: “While the darker colours could be seen, they could easily be mistaken for shadow or dirt.”
Alive Solutions discovered solid colours to be more conspicuous than patterns, with fluorescent shades claiming the top position.
Nevertheless, the research showed that small designs, whether pale or dark, did not dramatically affect visibility. Conversely, large dark patterns considerably diminished visibility.
For example, a plain neon orange costume is more simple to identify against a dark pool floor than a neon orange garment with large navy stripes.
Therefore, if you’re still purchasing children’s swimwear, choose fluorescent tones to enhance safety.
