Keep children safe – put away the phone

THIS newspaper has strongly campaigned to highlight the dangers posed to children by smartphone use – now we learn of a new threat to their safety from their parents’ use of the devices.

John Leech, chief executive of Irish Water Safety, says that parents are so distracted by their phones they actually are not keeping an eye on children who are swimming, and the consequences have been tragic. He reports that there have been incidents where children got into difficulty in the water while their parents were on their phones, and that this was a factor that led to dozens of rescues.

We have had such a lovely summer, it is understandable that parents would take photos and feel the urge to share them immediately on social media.

The problem is that once the photo has been taken, the child might wander down to the shore, and the parent becomes preoccupied with the likes and comments the photo has generated.

It only takes a moment’s distraction for a happy day out to turn to tragedy – a young child can drown in 40 seconds.

Surely those who take photos can wait until they get home to share them with friends, safe in the knowledge that happy, tired children are in the other room watching television, or safely tucked up in bed? That is the time to go on Facebook or Instagram, not while you’re still at the beach and unaware that the child who said he wouldn’t wander is now in difficulty in the water.

We already know that drivers have died, and killed others, because they were reckless enough to use their phones while they were behind the wheel. Losing concentration when you are responsible for the safety of a child on a beach, at the river or by a lake is just as serious a dereliction of duty. Put the phone down. Sharing can wait. Keep an eye on your children and prevent a tragedy for which you would never forgive yourself.