Published 30 October 2025
New research shows that the risk of drowning rises sharply for teenagers, surging 1300% or thirteen times (13x), between the ages of 10 and 20 years.
Royal Life Saving Australia is urging parents to enrol their 8, 9 and 10-year-olds in swimming and water safety lessons, warning that too many children miss out on the vital skills that keep them safe, as teenagers and young adults, when drowning risk increases thirteen-fold.
Worryingly, new data shows that drowning in 15–20-year-olds has increased by 34% in the five years since 2021 (COVID-19 pandemic), compared to the five years prior.
Royal Life Saving estimates that over 10 million swimming lessons were missed due to the pandemic. Five years on, many of those children are teenagers, who can’t swim but are likely to be exposed to drowning in rivers and beaches, where strong swimming skills are important.
Royal Life Saving Chief Executive Officer Dr Justin Scarr said “The decline in swimming skills in children is a key factor driving elevated drowning in teenagers and young adults, where unsupervised swimming at rivers and beaches, risk taking with friends, and falls from rocks or jetty’s, mean poor swimming skills can have life threatening consequences.
Research shows 60% of kids start lessons before age 3, but most have dropped out before age 7.
More than half of 10-year-olds and 40% of 15-year-olds can’t swim 50 metres, and most of those may never swim, placing them at life-long elevated risk of drowning.
Royal Life Saving is reminding parents that learning to swim as a young child is a great start - but it’s often not enough to keep them safe as teenagers or last a lifetime.
“If your children quit lessons before 7, a second dose of swimming at age 10 or before could be a lifesaving decision. Whether to build confident swimmers, encourage them into water sports or recreational activities, and to prevent drowning later in life, swimming is for life, and no child should miss out,” Dr Scarr said.
To help parents assess their children at age of 10, before drowning risk elevates, Royal Life Saving is providing the following checklist:
- Can your 10-year-old swim 50 metres and float for two minutes?
- If they fell from a boat or slipped off rocks, could they float and/or swim 50-100m to safety?
- If peer pressure meant they jumped from a jetty or rocks, could they swim to safety?
- If they were caught in a river current, would they know what to do to help them survive?
If the answer is no, or they are not sure, then Royal Life Saving is encouraging parents to:
- Contact your nearest swim school and consider enrolling in lessons or vacation program
- Spend more time at the local swimming pool over summer to boost their skills
Other options for teenagers are to consider joining a swimming or lifesaving club, doing a bronze medallion or trying any of the swimming-based sports like water polo or learning to surf.
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
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About Royal Life Saving Australia www.royallifesaving.com.auRoyal Life Saving Australia is dedicated to bringing people together to eliminate drowning and empower communities to be safe around water. The organisation is committed to ensuring no child or adult misses out on being able to swim and survive and championing access to safe places to swim, for all people, irrespective of postcode or background.
National Swimming and Water Safety Framework
The National Swimming and Water Safety Framework provides a nationally recognised, structured and consistent approach to swimming and water safety education, setting minimum benchmarks for children at ages 6, 12 and 17. While these are the basic skills children need, exceeding them can boost their confidence, competency and overall safety in the water.
Swim and Survive Program
Royal Life Saving Australia's Swim and Survive program has been a cornerstone of water safety education for over 40 years. Aligned with the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework, it equips children with essential swimming, survival and lifesaving skills. There are more than 400 Swim and Survive program providers throughout Australia. For more information about the program, visit Swim and Survive. To find the nearest provider in your state or territory, use the online Swim and Survive Locator Map.
