A day at the beach for kids (and sometimes adults) often involves digging in the sand.
Although it may seem like safe fun, digging can turn dangerous when “sand holes” – pits or trenches – get too deep.
The Associated Press cites a New England Journal of Medicine study showing that “about three to five children die in the United States each year when a sand hole they are digging at the beach, a park or at home collapses on top of them. Others are seriously injured and require CPR to survive.”
The study’s researchers said that because beaches are often viewed as a place to relax, it’s easy for people to feel safe and overlook risks.
The National Park Service’s “Fill Beach Holes” initiative includes tips:
- Avoid digging deep holes in the sand.
- If you do dig a hole, fill it in before you leave the beach.
- Don’t dig holes deeper than your knees when standing in them.
- If you see an abandoned sand hole, consider filling it in if you can do it safely.
Remember, “Dig a hole, fill a hole.” Visit go.nps.gov/beachholes for more information about the campaign.
