Drowning deaths highest in more than 25 years
The Royal Life Saving 2022 National Drowning Report reveals a tragic spike in drowning deaths over the past 12 months with 339 drowning deaths occurring across Australia, the highest in 25 years. In addition to the fatal drownings, there were 686 non-fatal drowning incidents.
The report shines light and concern on the importance of learning swimming and water safety skills at any age and findings highlight the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on drowning risk, including children lacking swimming and water safety skills necessary to enjoy the water safely due to pandemic-induced lesson cancellations and the ongoing shortage in swimming and water safety teachers across Australia.
With 32 drowning deaths occurring in children aged 0-14 years and 28% of drownings occurring in people over 65 years of age, AUSTSWIM remains committed to raising awareness around drowning prevention through the teaching of vital swimming and water safety skills.
These statistics are a reminder to the whole teaching community including our 33, 000+ AUSTSWIM Licensed teachers currently working back-to-back shifts of the vital role they play in teaching skills for life and that they are the lifeblood of Swimming and Water Safety programs across Australia.
Swim schools across the country are operating at capacity and with not enough accredited and licensed teachers, they are turning away families. The training, employment and engagement of licensed teachers is critical, resulting in more Australians participating in swimming and water safety lessons which will help reduce the number of preventable drownings and water-related incidents.
AUSTSWIM CEO Bradley Low said “AUSTSWIM Licensed Teachers are the lifeblood of swimming and water safety programs and have been for the past 43 years. Our focus is on educating as many new teachers as we can and developing and retaining current Licensed Teachers, ensuring that everyone across the country has access to swimming and water safety classes delivered by knowledgeable and experienced swimming and water safety teachers who have been trained to the highest quality standards”.
“AUSTSWIM is proud to support and collaborate with both of Australia’s leading water safety authorities Royal Life Saving Society Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia and their State and Territory Associations and acknowledges the fine work these organisations do in protecting and educating Australians”.
NATIONAL Key findings – Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report 2022
- 339 drowning deaths in Australia in 2021/22; this is a 15% increase on last year (295 deaths) and a 24% increase on the 10-year average (274 deaths). 83% of drowning deaths were males.
- 17 drowning deaths among children aged 0-4 years; this is a 29% decrease from last year and a 23% decrease on the 10-year average, an improvement after a tragic increase during covid lockdowns.
- 15 drowning deaths occurred in children aged 5-14 years, a 7% increase on last year and a 36% increase on the 10-year average, perhaps a reflection of children missing out on swimming lessons.
- 94 drowning deaths occurred in people aged over 65 years, a 34% increase on last year and a 57% increase on the 10-year average. In total, 28% of drownings occurred in people over 65 years.
- 82% of all drowning death were males.
Subsidised training
