Every year, many children lose their lives in preventable accidents, with unsupervised access to home swimming pools—often through back doors—being the leading cause of drowning among children aged 1 to 4.

Current property codes require door locks in multiunit rental complexes to be installed at 54 inches high to prevent children from unlocking doors and going outside. However, in residential homes, locks are only required at 34 inches, mainly for convenience.

This summer, my 3-year-old son, Keaton, tragically lost his life after supposedly unlocking the back door at his fathers grandparents’ home and gaining access to their pool. At such a young age, no child should be able to reach and unlock doors that lead to hazards like swimming pools—attractive nuisances that naturally draw children in but pose life-threatening risks.

We are calling for an update to residential property codes so that doors leading to pools or similar hazards are required to have locks installed at 54 inches high, the same as in multiunit rental complexes. This simple change could save countless lives and prevent other families from suffering devastating loss.

Please sign this petition by clicking the link below to show your support for safer lock standards in residential homes. Together, we can create safer environments for children and prevent future tragedies.