Overview

SafeAbroad analysts have assessed some of the most common factors that lead to accidental drownings abroad. Water safety can be significantly enhanced by taking several precautionary steps, such as understanding the dangers associated with specific locales in addition to avoiding risky behavior such as combining heavy alcohol consumption with water-based activities. 

Key Takeaways

1. Lower-income countries have the highest risks of accidental drowning. These nations often lack sufficient legal requirements within their water safety legislation that provides adequate protection to travelers, leading to situations where insufficient equipment (such as life jackets) and supervision are provided. Vast stretches of beaches without lifeguard patrols are also more common at these destinations.
2. Most accidental drownings can be prevented. Alcohol consumption, disregard for water safety rules, and unsupervised swimming are all factors contributing to accidental drownings that can be eliminated. 
3. Understanding the specific water-associated risks posed by each destination is an important step to prevent accidental drownings. Different bodies of water carry different risks such as riptides. Travelers should ensure they understand the potential risks associated with their location to enhance water safety.

Background

Accidental drownings are affected by several factors including location-specific risks, alcohol consumption, and participation in risky activities. 

As the summer study abroad season approaches, it is important to keep in mind the potential dangers of summer activities such as swimming. While deaths on international education trips are overall less common than those on campus, drowning is a leading cause of death in countries where water-related activities are popular.^{1 2} Several factors affect the likelihood of drowning, regardless of location.

Location is the biggest factor when assessing the likelihood of accidental drownings. Low, lower-middle, and upper-middle income nations account for 92% of drownings.³ These nations often experience challenges to implementing national drowning-prevention strategies and have nominal legislation on water safety issues that often lack specific requirements.⁴ Even seemingly calm waters can be dangerous. Many travelers are often unfamiliar with the dangers posed by their specific destination. Only 30 of Costa Rica’s 600+ beaches are responsible for 90% of the nation’s annual average of 150-200 drownings, with 80% of these drownings being caused by riptides.^{5 6} Unfamiliarity with a location’s environment can also lead travelers to assume that the water will be warm on a hot summer’s day leading to cold shock. Cold shock is a set of cardiorespiratory reactions that often leads to hyperventilation and spiked cortisol levels, which can very easily lead to drownings.⁷ Northern European water temperatures are often much cooler than the air temperatures.^{8 9 10} Understanding the dangers associated with a specific location significantly enhances water safety. 

Alcohol consumption is another leading factor in accidental drownings. Overconsumption of alcohol near water increases the risk of drowning even in developed nations. In Australia, 23% of drownings have a recorded BAC of over 0.05% on average.¹¹ Many boating-related drownings involve the consumption of alcohol.¹² Going overboard requires even stronger swimming skills when off land, which are hampered by alcohol’s effect on the central nervous system.¹³ Men on average drink more alcohol than women and therefore are at higher risk.¹⁴ 

Risky activities are another common driver of accidental drownings. Global statistics show that males are more than twice as likely to drown as females, primarily driven by a willingness to perform more risky activities.^{15 16} Those swimming with known pre-existing conditions should recognize that these conditions, especially cardiac-related conditions, can increase the risk of accidental drowning.¹⁷ International students have also shown a willingness to swim outside of patrolled areas along unsupervised beaches, further increasing the likelihood of an accident.¹⁸ While popular excursions such as cenote cave-diving in Mexico are often very safe due to the presence of guides and tourist infrastructure (ladders, signs, etc.), they can quickly become dangerous if travelers do not follow given instructions or choose diving locations that require more swimming skills than they have.¹⁹

Traveler Guidance

Accidental drownings are largely preventable and should be taken seriously.

Here are a few tips to enhance water safety:

• Respect swimming rules and warnings. Swim only where a lifeguard is present and consider those areas without one to be “off limits.” Respect the warning flags. Only jump into water feet first as water can conceal shallow depths and hidden obstacles such as rocks.
• Be aware of the dangers to your specific location. Educate yourself about your destination’s risk of riptides and other water-related dangers. These factors often change corresponding with time of the year. This also includes understanding what the warning flags mean based on your location.
• Avoid swimming if you are not sober. The combination of alcohol and swimming can prove deadly. Remember that the effects of alcohol are often amplified by exposure to the sun and prolonged periods without water. 
• Never swim alone. Having another person around significantly reduces response times should somebody be having a hard time swimming. Travelers should swim with another person regardless of the presence of a lifeguard, as they can have many other people to watch at busy locations. 

1. https://www.forumea.org/uploads/1/4/4/6/144699749/forumea_insuranceclaims_mortalityratestudentsabroad.pdf 
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2.  https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/environmental-hazards-risks/injury-and-death-during-travel.htm 
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3.  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240103962 
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4.  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240103962 
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5.  https://ticotimes.net/2021/08/01/understanding-rip-currents-costa-rica-2 
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6.  https://www.sportwaiver.com/university-study-abroad-student-drowned-in-costa-rica/ 
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7.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/cold-shock-response 
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8. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/as-heat-waves-hit-worldwide-a-reminder-that-diving-into-cold-water-can-be-deadly 
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9. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/19/distinct-risk-pattern-uk-heatwave-toll-drowned-teenage-boys 
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10. https://www.international-maritime-rescue.org/news/blog-strengthening-a-culture-of-safety-norways-commitment-to-world-drowning-prevention-day-2025 
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11.  https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/stay-safe-active/risk-factors/alcohol-water-safety 
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12.  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4306-8 
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13.  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4306-8 
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14.  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240103962 
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15.  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240103962 
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16.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023046277 
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17.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023046277 
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18.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517718301432 
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19.  https://thecenoteguy.com/how-dangerous-is-cenote-diving-in-mexico/ 
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