New Zealand has one of the highest fatal drowning rates in the OECD1. This report is our way of drawing a line in the sand. We, Surf Life Saving New Zealand, are saying “enough is enough”. No more unnecessary deaths from drowning on our beaches and along our coastline.
KEY FINDINGS
KEY FINDINGS
10-YEAR OVERVIEW | 2009-19
10 YEA R O V E RVI E W | 2 0 0 9 - 1 9
We call on those who have the authority, the legal or the moral responsibility,
to work with us and our drowning prevention partners to stop the death toll from
getting worse, and to reduce it to a level where we can be proud as an island nation
to say ‘we have no preventable drownings on our beach and coastal areas’.
1
Fatal Drownings in New Zealand
Have INCREASED.
There has been a 37% increase in Beach and
Coastal Fatal Drownings over the last 5 years, when
compared to the previous 5 years.
2
Our Fatal Drownings are 70%
HIGHER Than Australia.
New Zealand has a 70% higher Beach and Coastal
Fatal Drowning rate per capita than Australia.
3
1:15
For Every Child or Young
Adolescent That Fatally Drowned,
15 Were Hospitalised for
Non-Fatal Drowning Injuries.
Children are grossly over-represented in the
non-fatal drowning statistics. For every child or
young adolescent that fatally drowns,there are15
that are hospitalised having suffered from
non-fatal drowning .
4
Males are Fatally Drowning
MORE Than Females.
89%
MALE
11%
FEMALE
Of those who died from drowning over the last 10
years, males represent 89% and females only 11%.
Men are fatally drowning more on our beaches and
coastline than females.
5
2.0
Pasifika had the HIGHEST Fatal
Drowning Rate Over the Last
10 years.
6
Almost 50% of Fatal Drownings
Occured in Summer.
7
Northland has New Zealand’s
HIGHEST Fatal Drowning Rate
3.91
8
Adults are Fatally Drowning
MORE Than Children and Young
Adolescents.
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
All Others Maori Pacific Peoples
Over the last 10 years Pacific Peoples had the
highest Fatal Drowning rate (1.69 per 100,000 pop)
of any ethnicity, closely followed by Maori
(1.27 pero 100,000 pop).
Over the last 10 years, there were 144 Fatal
Beach and Coastal Drownings during the
Summer months of December, January and
February. This figure represents nearly half of
the total annual fatal drownings recorded,
highlighting the increased risk associated with
the busy Summer season.
The rate of fatal drownings per 100,000pop in
Northland is 3.91, whereas Auckland (with a much
larger population), has a fatal drowning rate of only
0.63. Therefore the risk of drowning on the beach
and coastline of Northland is more than 6 times
greater than Auckland.
Adults over the age of 15 have a higher probability
of Beach and Coastal Fatal Drowning, than children
and young adolescents. 35-44 being the category
with the most Fatal Drownings recorded.
9
Surf Beaches Pose the HIGHEST
Risk for Beach and Coastal Fatal
Drowning in New Zealand.
10
Over the Last 10 Years, the
HIGHEST RISK Activities on a
Beach and Coastal Environment
Have Been:
However...
Last Year the HIGHEST RISK
Activities Were:
Over the last 10 years, 39% of beach and coastal
fatal drownings occured at a surf beach in
New Zealand.
Swimming/Wading Falls (trips/slips) Boating Rock Fishing Watercraft Swimming/Wading
SURF LIFE SAVING NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL BEACH AND COASTAL SAFETY REPORT SURF LIFE SAVING NEW ZEALAND KEY FINDINGS INFOGRAPHICS
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