Drowning deaths in Australia

Drowning deaths in Australian rivers, creeks and streams: a 10 year analysis is a report from the Royal Life Saving Society Australia.  735 people drowned this way between 2002 and 2012, accounting for 25% of all drowning deaths in Australian waterways during this time.  Rivers claimed the most lives, and 80% of river deaths were males.  When examining rates per 100,000 population, the Northern Territory experienced the highest average annual rate of river drowning deaths with a rate of 1.81 compared to a national annual average of 0.35.  Indigenous people drowned at a rate of 1.58 per 100,000 population in rivers, a rate that is 4.4 times that of the general population.

Almost three quarters of people who drowned in rivers did so within 100kms of their home postcode. "This provides strength to the argument that public awareness and drowning prevention strategies should be targeted at the local community level to ensure greatest efficacy."  A high rate of people drowning in floodwaters and under the influence of alcohol and other substances lends further weight to the argument for education in the risks and hazards of river use.