Drowning Deaths Down in an Australian Summer of Extremes
Sixty-six people lost their lives to drowning between 1st December 2019 and 29th February 2020 in Australia based on media monitoring carried out by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia.
Based on media monitoring alone, this represents a marked reduction in the number of drowning deaths compared with the same period in previous years. However, it is important to note that final numbers may vary following the compilation of coronial statistics.
This summer, which was the nation’s second hottest on record, was one of extremes. The first half was hot and dry and this was followed by above-average rainfall in some regions. This is in stark contrast to the summer of 2018/2019, which was the hottest on record and saw the highest number of drowning deaths in the past decade.
Justin Scarr, CEO at Royal Life Saving Society – Australia, said “This dramatic reduction in drowning deaths from previous years may be due to a combination of factors, including the bushfires and smoke haze limiting people’s willingness to visit pools, beaches and waterways, restrictions on holiday plans, as well as changes in international tourism.”
He added “While it is good to see the number of drowning deaths decrease, these figures must be kept in perspective. There is no room for complacency. There is no cure for drowning – only prevention. Everyone needs to be aware of the risks, and the consequences of their actions when recreating in, on and around the water. It is therefore vital that people follow safety advice to keep themselves, and their family and friends safe.”
This summer, a reduction in drowning deaths was seen in almost every State and Territory in the country, with Queensland experiencing the largest drop compared with the previous year, and Tasmania experiencing no change. The research also shows a 50% decrease in drowning deaths among children aged 0 to 17 years compared with the previous year.
The data for 2019/2020 shows that:
- Most drowning deaths were found to occur in December, accounting for almost 40% of all drowning deaths this summer, which is similar to that seen in previous years.
- Males accounted for 91% this summer compared with 80% in the previous years.
- Swimming and recreating continues to account for most drowning deaths.
- The number of drowning deaths while boating or using watercraft increased compared with previous years.
- Interestingly, the proportion of drowning deaths occurring in different age groups has stayed largely static over the past four years.
Mr Scarr reiterated “As always, we want people to love and enjoy the water, but we ask that people do so safely. It is really important that people actively supervise children, avoid alcohol around water, wear a lifejacket when boating or using watercraft, and avoid swimming alone.”
Media monitoring
Royal Life Saving’s ‘Summer Drowning Toll’ is carried out each summer to help inform and support advocacy and policy development for drowning prevention programs through evidence-based research. This involves media monitoring to identify unintentional drowning deaths throughout Australia, which are subsequently verified through the National Coronial Information System (NCIS).
A recent study funded by Royal Life Saving and written by Peden and others (2019) showed that media reported two-thirds of all summer drowning deaths, with drowning deaths of children and adolescents and at coastal locations (beaches and ocean/harbours) well captured. However, this study showed that drowning deaths in rivers and among older people were poorly reported.
The study concluded that where there was a lack of timely data on drowning, the use of media can help to capture deaths, with some limitations. It added that messages about drowning risk factors and prevention strategies during summer may to lead to a change in behaviour at a time when drowning risk is greatest.
Royal Life Saving Society – Australia’s research, education and advocacy work in drowning prevention and water safety is supported by the Australian Government.
Further reading
Peden, A. E., Franklin, R. C. & Wilcox-Pidgeon, S. (2019) Media reporting of summer drowning: a partial picture, useful for advocacy. Health Promotion Journal of Australia https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hpja.297
