Adult males 25 to 34 are most at-risk for drowning while boating
In two newly released 10-year drowning trend reports, the Canadian Red Cross reveals boating-related fatalities represent 39 per cent of drowning victims and alcohol was present or suspected in at least 50 per cent of boating drownings.
The Canadian Red Cross has released the final two modules in their five-part series analyzing 10 years of drowning research in Canada: Module 3: Boating & Powerboats and Module 4: Unpowered Boating. The final modules indicate that nearly 2,000 boating deaths might have been prevented had basic boating safety measures been taken, such as wearing a lifejacket.
“There are no accidents. These deaths were preventable,” says Shelley Dalke, national coordinator for Canadian Red Cross swimming and water safety programs. “Far too often people fail to account for the risks associated with boating. They load their boat with alcohol and either forget to bring a lifejacket, or use it as a cushion. The research shows that non-swimmers and weak swimmers were even less likely than other victims to correctly wear a lifejacket.”
Unpowered boating fatalities account for 36 per cent of all boating deaths, with males aged 15-24 at greatest risk. For unpowered boating, such as kayaking or canoeing, environmental factors, such as currents or unexpected waves are a threat. For power-boating accidents, males between the ages of 25-74 are at greatest risk with 91 per cent of victims failing to wear a lifejacket.
The Canadian Red Cross encourages all boaters to make wise choices before heading out on the water. Choose to leave the alcohol on shore, wear your lifejacket and plan to return to shore while it is still safe to do so.
For more information, visit www.redcross.ca/drownings.
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