The focus of SASS has been to update public and professional knowledge concerning the causes and prevention of water and boating accidents. Dr. Smith developed and initiated a number of training ploys and informational aspects of water safety which have deeply impacted recent, major reductions in North American drowning rates.
These reductions have been based on realization that serious water accidents
repeatedly stem from three prime sources: inability to swim; interaction
with (relatively) cold water; and, unwise use of alcohol/drugs.
Moreover, most drownings, cervical spine injuries, personal water
craft accidents, and other mishaps closely follow a similar scenario
or behavioral sydrome. Once these forms of repeated behavior are
identified, the actual mechanisms involved in aquatic accidents
are relatively easily explained to investigators and juries.
The focus of SASS has been to update public and professional knowledge concerning the causes and prevention of water and boating accidents. Dr. Smith developed and initiated a number of training ploys and informational aspects of water safety which have deeply impacted recent, major reductions in North American drowning rates.