What is the primary purpose of swim skills testing?

The primary purpose of swim skills testing is to identify individuals who can't keep their heads comfortably above water. This is crucial for ensuring the safety of all patrons in aquatic environments. By determining who may be at risk of submersion or drowning, lifeguards and facility operators can take appropriate precautions, such as assigning flotation devices, increasing supervision, or recommending swimming lessons. This kind of assessment helps to create a safer swimming experience for everyone, as it allows lifeguards to understand the abilities and limitations of individuals in the water.

Other choices, while relating to swim testing in different contexts, do not reflect the primary goal of ensuring safety and readiness in water activities. For instance, while assessing swimming efficiency can provide insights into a swimmer's skill level, it is secondary to evaluating basic safety skills like maintaining buoyancy.