My parents would have drummed it into me upon pain of a beating and a curfew about not going anywhere near a lake be it frozen or normal. Did I obey their orders? Most times yes but did I sometimes chance getting found out, yes. It only takes one kid to risk something like going on the ice and the others will follow just to fit in and not look a wuss. 99 times out of a hundred everyone goes home ok but then there is that one exception and then tragedy.