Who dies by drowning?
In the median of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age, 0.14% of men and 0.04% of women eventually die by drowning. It is never the most likely cause of death for any one country, sex and age group — but it adds up over a lifetime.
The risk by age
Chance of dying by drowning within 10 years, and its share of all the risk at that age — the median of 36 countries. Your own country's numbers are one click away on its page.
| Age | men | women |
|---|---|---|
| 15–19 | 0.01% (1.9% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.65% of the risk) |
| 20–24 | 0.01% (1.8% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.49% of the risk) |
| 25–29 | 0.01% (1.4% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.34% of the risk) |
| 30–34 | 0.01% (1.0% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.31% of the risk) |
| 35–39 | 0.01% (0.79% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.23% of the risk) |
| 40–44 | 0.02% (0.56% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.17% of the risk) |
| 45–49 | 0.02% (0.37% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.13% of the risk) |
| 50–54 | 0.02% (0.29% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.12% of the risk) |
| 55–59 | 0.02% (0.20% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.11% of the risk) |
| 60–64 | 0.02% (0.14% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.08% of the risk) |
| 65–69 | 0.03% (0.10% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.06% of the risk) |
| 70–74 | 0.03% (0.07% of the risk) | 0.01% (0.05% of the risk) |
| 75–79 | 0.03% (0.05% of the risk) | 0.01% (0.03% of the risk) |
| 80–84 | 0.02% (0.03% of the risk) | <0.01% (0.01% of the risk) |
| 85–89 | 0.01% (0.02% of the risk) | <0.01% (<0.01% of the risk) |
| 90–94 | <0.01% (<0.01% of the risk) | <0.01% (<0.01% of the risk) |
Lifetime chance, men: highest and lowest countries
Lifetime chance, women: highest and lowest countries
What changes the odds
What you can do
- Swim where lifeguards are on duty, never alone, and stay out of the water after drinking.
- Wear a life jacket on boats, kayaks and paddleboards.
- Know the local dangers before you go in — currents, cold water and changing weather.
- Watch children every moment near water: drowning is quick and silent.
What the evidence says
- Alcohol is involved in up to 70% of deaths among teenagers and adults during water recreation. — CDC, 2026
- Almost half of fatal drownings at 15 and over happen in natural water — lakes, rivers and the sea. — CDC, 2026
- Most people who die in boating accidents weren't wearing a life jacket (83% in US data). — CDC, 2026
Act fast: Someone in trouble in the water often can't shout or wave: call the lifeguard or your emergency number, and throw them something that floats — don't swim out unless you're trained.
Sources: CDC: Risk factors for drowning (2026); WHO: Drowning (fact sheet, 2026). General guidance, not medical advice.
Embed this on your site
Free to use with the link back. The image updates when the data does.
Related: Road accidents · Falls · Accidental poisoning & overdose · Homicide · Other accidents · Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)
If you or someone you love is struggling, free, confidential help is at findahelpline.com.
Questions
- At what age is drowning most likely to be the cause of death?
- For men, drowning takes its largest share of deaths at 15–19: 1.9% of the risk of dying in the next 10 years, in the median of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age.
- Which country has the highest risk of dying by drowning?
- Of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age, Latvia has the highest lifetime chance of dying by drowning for men (0.68%), and Iceland the lowest (0%).
Computed by Odainn from official mortality statistics (Eurostat; ONS, NRS and NISRA; CDC; Statistics Canada) for 36 countries, latest years — how we calculate. Belarus is left out: deaths by cause and age aren't published together there, so the split by cause is our estimate. Population statistics, not a prediction for any individual. Educational, not medical advice.