Could the colour of your child’s swimsuit save their life?

Kids in water. (Undated image)

There’s no scientific proof, but it’s a question worth asking, could the colour of your child’s swimsuit play a role in how visible they are in the water?

Some water safety experts think it might.

A company called Alive Solutions, which specializes in water safety, conducted a few experiments to explore how swimsuit colours perform in both pools and lakes. In two separate experiments they found that certain swimsuit colours are easier to spot in a swimming pool versus open water.

Independently conducted testing

The tests were conducted independently and not published in a peer-reviewed journal. In controlled tests, swimsuits in 14 different colours were submerged in different bodies of water to observe how visible they were under certain conditions.

In a swimming pool, with a light-coloured bottom, the company’s tests showed that neon pink and neon orange seemed to be most visible. White and light blue colours, on the other hand, tended to disappear, blending in with the pool bottom.

Darker colours showed up against the light pool bottom, but could often be dismissed for shadows, leaves or dirt.

In lake water, the tests showed that bright neon colours including neon orange, yellow and green were visible but neon pink did not perform well. White swimsuits appeared more vibrant due to reflecting light, all other colours were not very visible.

Many factors play a role

According to Lifesaving Society Ontario, many other factors play a role in visibility, including glare, water clarity or even wave action.

“Dressing in swimwear that is high-contrast to your environment may increase your ability to be seen in the water, but there are many factors such as glare, water clarity and water agitation that can still reduce visibility. There is a lack of formal research to support wearing one colour over another in specific settings under specific conditions,” Stephanie Bakalar, senior communications officer of Lifesaving Society Ontario told CTV News.

Still, even if these results haven’t been formally validated, they point to a simple step that could improve safety.

That said, no colour choice replaces the need for constant supervision. “In Ontario, 100 per cent of drowning deaths in children under five is caused by absent or distracted supervision.” Bakalar said. “It is important that when children are around water that they are directly supervised by a responsible adult and in the case of weak or non-swimmers they remain within arms’ reach.”

Water safety

Approved lifejackets offer another layer of protection, especially on boats. Provincial experts recommend lifejackets in bold colours.

“We recommend lifejackets be red, orange or yellow to increase your visibility on the water and approved by Transport Canada,” Bakalar continued.

The safest place to swim is where trained lifeguards are on duty. Fewer than one per cent of drowning deaths in the province occur in lifeguard-supervised areas, according to Lifesaving Society Ontario.

“The Society’s national lifeguards are trained to scan the surface, middle and bottom of their supervision zones and maneuver to reduce visual disruptions such as glare. Water quality standards in pools are set to ensure clarity allows for visibility to the bottom. Natural bodies of water present different challenges to visibility, but lifeguard supervised waterfront zones are established to create the most visibility possible,” Bakalar said.

So, does swimsuit colour save lives? It is not scientifically proven. But in the approach to water safety which starts with supervision and includes life jackets, swimming lessons, and safe environments it could be a small change that makes a difference.