top of page
Sandy Beach

Drowning

Australia and New Zealand have a range of water environments, including beaches, rivers, lakes, dams, swimming pools (domestic and public) and flood prone areas, which all contribute different risks to drowning. Drowning prevention interventions have been proven to be effective globally.

​

In their evidence-based drowning prevention implementation guide, the World Health Organization (2017) recommends six key selected interventions, including: teaching swimming and water safety skills; installing barriers that control access to water hazards such as pool fencing; providing safe places and supervision for young children (0-4 years); flood mitigation strategies; cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rescue skills for community members; and improving and enforcing safe boating regulations.

​What is the incidence and burden of drowning in the Australian population? 

​

  • Drowning and submersions are the fifteenth-ranked cause of injury hospitalisations in 2024–25 and the seventh-ranked cause of injury deaths in 2023–24 (AIHW 2026).

  • In 2023-24, there were 300 deaths due to drowning and 558 people hospitalised for unintentional drowning in 2024-25. Drowning death rates were 1.1 per 100,000 population and hospitalisation rates were 2.0 per 100,000 population. This data excludes intentional drowning and drowning from being thrown from a boat (AIHW: Injury in Australia: drowning and submersion, 2026).

  • Death rates and hospitalisation rates for unintentional drowning are about 2.4 times and 1.6 times higher for men than women respectively (AIHW: Injury in Australia: Drowning and submersion, 2026).

  • Children aged 1– 4 were over 14 times more likely than adults to be hospitalised for injuries caused by drowning and submersion, while children aged 5–9 were 2.8 times more likely (AIHW, 2024).

  • Among children 1 - 4 years, drowning was the 5th leading cause of injury deaths among all causes of injury, and this age group accounts for 58% of all drowning and submersion hospitalisations (AIHW, 2024).

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience unintentional drowning hospitalisation rates of 3.7 per 100,000 population respectively (AIHW: Injury in Australia, 2026) and account for 5% of all drowning deaths (RLSSA, 2025).

  • Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-4 years in 2022, injuries were the second leading cause of disease burden overall, with drowning accounting for the majority of injury morbidity and mortality among this age group (AIHW, 2026: First Nations Burden of Disease Study 2022).

  • Unintentional drowning hospitalisation and death rates increase with increasing remoteness (AIHW: Injury in Australia, 2026; Royal Life Saving Australia, 2025) and drowning death rates are highest among people living in low socio-economic areas (AIHW: Injury in Australia, 2026; Royal Life Saving Australia 2025).​

​

Note: There are two systems of data collection for fatal and non-fatal drowning in Australia, both can be considered ‘correct’:

  • The AIHW collects and reports on drowning data according to ICD coding, and can include intentional self-harm by drowning. Readers are advised to refer to AIHW data notes to see if drowning data presented include intentional drowning and drowning having fallen from a boat. For consistency with the National Injury Prevention Plan 2021-2030, AIHW data has been used for this fact sheet.

  • Royal Life Saving Society – Australia (RLSSA) holds the National Fatal Drowning Database, drowning death data is sourced from the National Coronial Information System, and includes unintentional drowning deaths only. This database captures unintentional drowning not included in the ICD coding, such as drowning related to transport (cars, boats), and flood-related or natural disasters. Annual drowning reports and long-term drowning trends are produced and can be found on the RLLSSA website.

  • Differences in data collection methodology: A peer reviewed journal explains the differences in the methodology used between RLSSA and AIHW and Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (ICD coding vs all cases with drowning as a cause of death). It is estimated that drowning deaths in Australia are underreported by 40% when classifying by the primary drowning codes W65-74 as the Underlying cause of death only are used.

Image by Sam Wermut
Image by Laura Smetsers

What is the incidence and burden of drowning in the New Zealand population? ​

  • Over the past 10 years an average of 85 preventable drowning fatalities occur each year in New Zealand​ (Water Safety New Zealand, 2026). This equals to a rate of 1.58 per 100,000 people​.

  • 82% of preventable drowning fatalities are male and drown at a rate over 4 times that of females (Water Safety New Zealand, 2026).

  • 23% of total drownings are among Māori (20 each year) (Water Safety New Zealand, 2026).*

  • 10 young people aged 15-24 years drown each year (Water Safety New Zealand, 2026).*

  • 15 people aged 65 years or older drown each year (Water Safety New Zealand, 2026).*

  • Over the 10-year period, 46 children under the age of 5 have drowned (Water Safety New Zealand, 2026).

  • Of 172 craft-related drownings, only 40 were wearing lifejackets (Water Safety New Zealand, 2026).*

 

*Based on 10-year averages (2016 to 2025) received from DrownBase, Water Safety New Zealand’s integrated drowning database as of 25 June 2026.

Calm Blue Ocean

Are drowning rates decreasing in Australia?
 

AIHW data reports that between 2014-15 and 2023-24, drowning deaths have not substantially changed, staying at an overall rate of 1.00 per 100,000 annually (AIHW: Injury in Australia, 2026), however the rate of hospitalised non-fatal drowning and submersions have decreased overall, from 2.7 in 2015-16 to 2.0 per 100,000 in 2024-25, with young children most likely to be hospitalised.

RLSSA data shows that the fatal drowning rate in 2024-25 increased by 27%, compared to the 10-year average. Specifically, drowning deaths in every age group 45 years and above were recorded above the 10-year average.

​

However, we have seen drowning rates decrease among children aged 0–14 years, with school-aged children 5–14 years recording the lowest rates of drowning. Additionally, drowning among children aged 0–4 years continues to decline, with a 21% decrease reported in 2024-25 compared to the 10-year average. It is likely that better understanding of how fatal and non-fatal drowning occurs, coupled with interventions including changes to policy, environments and increasing awareness and skills, are responsible for these decreases in child drowning (see links to effective interventions, below).  ​​

Common Risk Factors

The Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 identifies key areas for reducing drowning in Australia, based on evidence where drowning risk is proportionally high, and drowning is most preventable. The Mid-point review, released in July 2025 identifies areas of the Strategy where concerted efforts are required in order to achieve the goal of halving drowning deaths by 2030.

​

Key people and populations identified in the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 as being at higher risk of drowning include:

  • Children (0-4 years): One-year-old toddlers record the highest drowning rate of any age (3.47/100,000 population). A lack of active supervision is a key risk factor for drowning in this age group. Additional factors include lack of child-proof barriers isolating the child from the body of water and the child’s physical and mental developmental level. Young children are naturally curious and have a lack of risk perception; physically, they have big heads relative to body size making them more vulnerable to falling into and being unable to escape from large household containers (i.e. buckets, bathtubs).

  • Young men (15-29 years): There are seven times as many men dying from drowning as women in this age group, with 1.69 deaths per 100,000 people recorded, or an average of 46 young men drowning each year.

  • Older people (65+ years): On average, 95 people aged over 65 years old drown every year, one-third had a pre-existing medical condition, which contributes to the drowning risk.

  • Multicultural communities: 49% of the population were either born overseas or had at least one parent who was born overseas (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022). This diversity is now being reflected in drowning statistics, with differences in cultural associations and lower participation in learn to swim and other water safety activities thought to be a factor (Australian Water Safety Council, 2020; Willcox-Pidgeon et al., 2021).

  • Regional and Remote Communities: On average 101 drowning deaths per year occur outside of major cities, and the rates of drowning by population have been found to increase with remoteness, due to factors such as less access to programs, more exposure to open waterways and potentially longer emergency response times, particularly in remote and isolated locations.

​​

Risk-factors contributing to drowning:

  • Lack of wearing a lifejacket when boating and fishing: Up to 90% of drowning deaths that occur when boating and fishing are of people not wearing lifejackets.

  • Alcohol and drug consumption: Alcohol consumption impairs decision making, risk perception and reaction time, and reduces capacity to effectively supervise children, all of which may increase drowning risk.

  • Lack of swimming and water safety skills: Swimming and water safety skills are recommended by the WHO as a protective factor for drowning.

  • Rivers are the leading location where drowning deaths occur (28% in 2024-25). (Royal Life Saving Society Australia, 2025).

Effective interventions​​

​​

The effectiveness of drowning prevention interventions, outlined in the table below, is based on findings from the literature review that informed the National Injury Prevention Strategy 2021-2030 (first compiled in 2020 and updated in 2026). The table needs to be read recognising the limitations of current evidence, including a lack of investment in well-designed research studies.

​

While systematic reviews are regarded as the ‘strongest level of evidence’, there are limitations. Research evidence may be biased towards western science, lack consideration of Indigenous or other knowledges and may not accurately capture the experiences and priorities of particular population groups. Some ‘rigorous’ research designs may not be acceptable, feasible or sufficiently adaptable to make them viable or appropriate to use within a particular setting, or with particular population groups. Prioritising self-determination, a strengths-based approach and culturally responsiveness should be guiding principles.

​

The following resources offer useful advice when designing, implementing and evaluating programs: Indigenous Evaluation Strategy, Lowitja Institute, Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, Rainbow Network, Australian Human Rights Commission.

download (11).png

Table 1. Examples of evaluated drowning prevention interventions.

Relevant national strategies
 

The following table presents an overview of national strategies that relate to drowning prevention.

​

Table 2. National strategies relevant to dtowning prevention.

​​

Hand Reach Out Sun Trees.jpg

Data and research gaps – What don’t we know?​

​

While there has been an increase in drowning prevention literature published globally and from Australia in the last decade (Scarr & Jagnoor, 2021), there still remains gaps in the literature.

​

There is a growing body of published evidence has addressing drowning among culturally and linguistically diverse people (Willcox et al., 2020, 2025; Willcox-Pidgeon, Miller et al., 2023; Low, Graefe et al, 2026; Woods, Koon and Brander, 2022), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Williams, McMillan & Peden., 2024; Wallis et al., 2015), and regional and remote communities (Taylor, Peden & Franklin, 2020), people on low income and other high-risk population groups in Australia. (Willcox-Pidgeon et al., 2020).

​

There is a paucity of studies examining effectiveness of alcohol themed campaigns for drowning prevention (Carey et al; 2026; Calverly et al 2020; Hamilton et al 2022; 2017).

​

Despite being an identified priority area for drowning prevention in Australia, there is a need for high-quality studies focusing on drowning prevention interventions for adolescents and young people, especially among young men over the age of 19 years.

Key partners and stakeholders​

​

Key organisations with resources and programs for drowning prevention and water safety

​​

Key additional organisations to consider partnering in program development and evaluation for drowning prevention and water safety

  • Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations

  • Local government

  • Rural health services

  • State education departments

  • State and territory departments of health

  • State and territory departments of sport and recreation

​​​

Position Papers

References​

 

Where can I find more information on the burden, incidence and impact of injury due to road transport?  

Royal Life Saving Society Australia and Water Safety New Zealand produce annual drowning reports, providing a detailed summary of the drowning burden.

 

Drowning Prevention Resources and Reports:

 

Drowning Data reports on key issues (2020 – 2025):

  • Miller L, Dahiya A, Pidgeon S. (2025) Older adult drowning in Australia - understanding risk and mapping prevention efforts. Royal Life Saving Australia: Sydney.

  • Pidgeon S, Haller M. (2025) State of drowning among young people aged 10-20 years and the role of swimming skills. Royal Life Saving Australia: Sydney.

  • Pidgeon, S. (2024). Drowning among Multicultural Communities in Australia: An update 2013/14 to 2022/23. Royal Life Saving  Australia: Sydney

  • Miller L. (2024). Drowning involving alcohol and drugs: 2019/20 to 2023-24. Royal Life Saving Australia. Sydney. https://doi.org/10.62977/87209

  • Miller L. (2024). 10-year national study of child (0-4) drowning deaths 2014/15-2023/24. Royal Life Saving Australia. Sydney. https://doi.org/10.62977/87526

  • Miller, L. & Koon, W. (2023) Fatal Drowning Data Brief: Young Males 15-29 Years. Royal Life Saving Australia, Sydney.

  • Miller, L. (2023). Analysis of unintentional drowning in Australia 2002-2022: progress, challenges, and data to inform prevention. Royal Life Saving Australia. Sydney, Australia https://doi.org/10.62977/84910

  • Pidgeon, S. (2023) Drowning in Rivers, Creeks, Lakes and Dams: A 10-year analysis 2011/12 to 2020/21. Royal Life Australia. Sydney, Australia. https://doi.org/10.62977/88777

  • Mahony A, Pidgeon S (2023) Review of pool fencing legislation in Australia. Royal Life Saving Australia. Sydney.

  • Pickles K, Pidgeon S, Mahony A (2022) 10-year analysis of drowning in children 5 - 14 years in Australia. Royal Life Saving Australia. Sydney

  • Pidgeon S, Nimmo L (2020) Drowning deaths among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a 10-year analysis 2008/09 to 2017/18. Royal Life Saving Australia: Sydney

  • Water Safety New Zealand (2026). DrownBase. Water Safety New Zealand, Wellington. https://www.watersafetynz.org/drowning-insights/drownbase-and-data-science

​​

Drowning prevention published literature and reports

See below for a comprehensive list of articles investigating drowning and water safety globally.

  • Adams S, Elkington J, MacKay JM, Zwi K, O’Sullivan M, Vincenten J, Brussoni M, Towner E, Brown J. (2016) Child Safety Good Practice Guide: Good investments in unintentional child injury prevention and safety promotion. Sydney: Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, 2016

  • Barnsley, P. D., Peden, A. E. & Scarr, J. Calculating the economic burden of fatal drowning in Australia. Journal of Safety Research 67, 57–63 (2018).

  • Calverley, H; Petrass, L; & Blitvich, J (2020) Alcohol Focused Drowning Prevention Campaigns: What Do We Know and What Should We Do Now? International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Vol. 12 : No. 2 , Article 7. DOI: 10.25035/ijare.12.02.07 Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare/vol12/iss2/7

  • Carey R.N, Crawford,G., D'Orazio N, et al., “Alcohol Advertising at the Beach: Insights From Young People in Western Australia,” Health Promotion Journal of Australia 37, no. 1 (2026): e70129, https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.70129.

  • Denny SA, Quan L, Gilchrist J, McCallin T, Shenoi R, Yusuf S, et al. (2019) Prevention of drowning. Pediatrics.,143(5)

  • Hamilton, K., Keech, J. J., Willcox - Pidgeon, S., & Peden, A. E. (2022). An evaluation of a video-based intervention targeting alcohol consumption during aquatic activities. Australian Journal of Psychology, 74(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2022.2029221

  • Koon, W.A, Brander, R.W., Lawes, J.C., Peden, A.E. (2025). Improving coastal safety for international visitors to Australia. Public Health in Practice, 9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2025.100613

  • Leavy, J.E., Crawford, G., Leaversuch, F., Nimmo, L., McCausland, K., & Jancey, J. (2016). A Review of Drowning Prevention Interventions for Children and Young People in High, Low and Middle Income Countries. The Publication for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 41(2), 424-441. doi:10.1007/s10900-015-0105-2

  • Leavy, J.E., Crawford, G., Portsmouth, L. et al. (2015) Recreational Drowning Prevention Interventions for Adults, 1990–2012: A Review. J Community Health 40, 725–735 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-015-9991-6

  • Leavy, J.E., Gray, C., Della Bona, M. et al. (2023) A Review of Interventions for Drowning Prevention Among Adults. J Community Health 48, 539–556 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-023-01189-6

  • Low, L., Graefe, H.M.L., Willcox-Pidgeon, S.M and Barnett, L.M. (2026). Exploring the Swimming and Water Safety Behaviour Among Indian and Vietnamese Adults in Australia. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 37, no. 2 (2026): e70163, https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.70163

  • Mahony, A, Peden, AE, Roberts, C, Barnsley, P (2018) A ten-year analysis of drowning in Aquatic Facilities: Exploring risk at Communal, Public and Commercial swimming pools, Royal Life Saving Australia: Sydney

  • Mahony, A, Barnsley, P, Peden, AE, Scarr, J (2017) A thirteen-year national study of non-fatal drowning in Australia: Data challenges, hidden impacts and social costs, Royal Life Saving Australia: Sydney

  • Miller, Willcox-Pidgeon, Scarr, Koon (2025). Analysis of unintentional fatal drowning in Australia 2002-2022: Progress, challenges and data to inform prevention. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. Vol. 49 Issue 4 Pages 100258 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anzjph.2025.10025

  • Peden, A.E., Franklin, R.C. (2020) Causes of distraction leading to supervision lapses in cases of fatal drowning of children 0–4 years in Australia: A 15‐year review. J Paediatr Child Health, 56: 450-456. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.14668

  • Peden AE, Mahony A (2018). Trends in Child Drowning Over the Last 25 Years. Royal Life Saving Australia: Sydney

  • Peden, AE., Franklin RC., Mahony, AJ., Scarr J., & Barnsley PD. (2017) Using a retrospective cross-sectional study to analyse unintentional fatal drowning in Australia: ICS-10 coding-based methodologies versus actual deaths. BMJ Open 7: e019407. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2017-019407.

  • Roberts, K., Thom, O., Devine, S. et al (2021). A scoping review of female drowning: an underexplored issue in five high-income countries. BMC Public Health 21, 1072. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10920-8

  • Scarr J, Jagnoor J. (2022). Identifying opportunities for multisectoral action for drowning prevention: a scoping review. Injury Prevention 28:585-594.

  • Shen J, Pang S, Schwebel D.C. (2016) Evaluation of a drowning prevention program based on testimonial videos: A randomized control trial. Journal of Paediatric Psychology, 41(5), 2016, 555–565 doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsv104

  • Sindall R, et al. (2022). Drowning risk and climate change: a state- of- the- art review. Injury Prevention. ;0:1–7. doi:10.1136/injuryprev-2021-04448

  • Taylor DH, Franklin RC, Peden AE. (2020). Aquatic competencies and drowning prevention in children 2–4 years: A systematic review. Safety. 6(2):31

  • Taylor DH, Peden AE, Franklin RC. Next steps for drowning prevention in rural and remote Australia: A systematic review of the literature. Aust J Rural Health. 2020; 28: 530–542. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12674

  • Thompson, D., & Rivara, F. (2000). Pool fencing for preventing drowning in children (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2, CD001047. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001047

  • Vearing R, Scarr J, Queiroga AC, et al. (2026). Gaps in the evidence for interventions in global drowning research. Injury Prevention 32:72-81.

  • Wallis, BA., Watt, K., Franklin, RC., Taylor, M., Nixon, JW., & Kimble, RM. (2015). Interventions associated with drowning prevention in children and adolescents: systematic literature review. Injury Prevention, 21(3), 195-204. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2014-041216

  • Willcox-Pidgeon, Franklin, Leggat & Devine (2020) Identifying a gap in drowning prevention: high risk populations Inj Prev 0:1–10. doi:10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043432 https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/injuryprev/early/2020/01/06/injuryprev-2019-043432.full.pdf)

  • Williams J, McMillan F, Peden AE. Yarning about river safety: A qualitative study exploring water safety beliefs and practices for First Nations People. Health Promot J Austral. 2024; 35(3): 662–671. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.792

  • Woods M, Koon W, Brander RW (2022) Identifying risk factors and implications for beach drowning prevention amongst an Australian multicultural community. PLOS ONE 17(1): e0262175. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262175

  • World Health Organization (2017) Preventing drowning: an implementation guide. WHO Geneva Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO https://www.who.int/publications-detail/preventing-drowning-an-implementation-guide

  • World Health Organization (2014) Global report on drowning: preventing a leading killer. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014. https://www.who.int/publications-detail/global-report-on-drowning-preventing-a-leading-killer

  • World Health Organization (2021) United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/75/273 on global drowning prevention. Geneva: World Health Organization.

  • World Health Organization (2024). Global Status Report on Drowning. Geneva: World Health Organization.

  • Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention (2025). Global Strategy for Drowning Prevention: Turning the tide on a leading killer. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Blue Sky Clouds

Acknowledgements

​This content was initially collated by The George Institute for Global Health in partnership with the Ngarruwan Ngadju First Peoples Health and Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Wollongong and Royal Life Saving Australia in 2021.


This factsheet was updated in June 2026 by Royal Life Saving Australia and the Australasian Injury Prevention Network (AIPN).

 

Date: August 2026​​

© 2026 by Australasian Injury Prevention Network 

bottom of page