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RESEARCH DROWNING STATISTICS

Toddler Drowning Statistics

Factors Contributing to Toddler (0 - 5 year old) Drowning Statistics. (Analysis of drownings involving children aged five years and under in NSW, 2002, NSW Water Safety Taskforce, 2002)

AGE - 32.9% of all toddler drowning victims are 2 year olds. 26.8% of all toddler drowning victims are 1 year olds.
GENDER - 65.9% of toddler drowning victims are male. 24.1% of toddler drowning victims are female.
PROPERTY - 60% of all toddler drowning occur in child's own home. 70% of all toddler drowning occur in Metropolitan areas. 30% occur in Rural areas.
LOCATION - 41.5% of toddler drowning occurred in swimming pools. 19.5% of toddler drowning occurred in baths. 15.9% of toddler drowning occurred in dams.14.6% of toddler drowning occurred in lakes or rivers.
TIMING - 39% of toddler drowning occurs between 9am and 3pm. 37.8% of toddler drowning occurs between 3pm and 6pm. 19.5% of toddler drowning occur between 6pm and 9pm.

Drowning Reports

Each year the Royal Life Saving Society produces a drowning report that examines the drowning deaths in Australia. This report also has a section that focuses on children under five years of age drowning deaths. To view copies of the Drowning Reports please click here.

Research Papers

There have been a number of research papers undertaken examining drowning related issues of children these include:

Analysis of drownings involving children aged five years and under in NSW Download
Analysis_of_drownings_involving_children.pdf Report on toddler drowning deaths (788KB)
Dam drowning deaths Download Bugeja_2005.pdf Article on dam drowning deaths (104KB)
Prevention of drowning in home pools Download Prevention_of_home_pool_drowning_deaths.pdf Paper on prevention of home pool drowning deaths (172KB)
Ten years of toddler drowning in QLD Download 10_Years_in_Qld.pdf 10 Years of toddler drowning deaths in Qld (305KB)
Cochrane review of pool fencing