Study targets river deaths

A TOWNSVILLE freshwater hot spot will be targeted this weekend in a bid to find answers to the nation’s river drowning problem.

Figures from 2016- 17 show river locations had the highest number of drowning fatalities with 68 deaths nationally, 15 of which were in Queensland.

There have been 318 drownings in rivers in Queensland in the 15 years since 2002- 03, an average of 21 a year.

Researchers will be breathalysing and surveying river users at Alligator Creek from 9am today until Sunday night.

Principal investigator Amy Peden, PhD candidate at James Cook University and national manager of research and policy at Royal Life Saving Society, Australia, has been investigating drowning deaths in rivers for several years.

Ms Peden said the culture of drinking while swimming, boating and fishing at local rivers was a big part of the drowning problem.

“Understanding how com- monplace drinking is, and how it influences risk taking is one of the main reasons we’re here in Townsville,” she said.

Royal Life Saving research shows that for each fatal drowning, a further three people are hospitalised due to a non- fatal drowning incident, with alcohol known to be a major contributing factor.

The average blood alcohol content of adult drowning victims in Australia is 0.20 per cent.

“That’s four times the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle or a boat. We need to better understand why people are taking such risks,” Ms Peden said. “Identifying alcohol consumption patterns and attitudes towards drinking and aquatic activity are vital given the strong association between alcohol and river drowning.

“It’s thought alcohol consumption leads to increased risk taking, and a failure to see dangers like snags, current and rocks until it’s too late.”

The research is part of a range of studies conducted by JCU and Royal Life Saving examining the epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for the prevention of unintentional drowning in rivers.

The study’s supervisor and co- investigator, JCU Associate Professor Richard Franklin, said it was great to see the partnership tackling challenges locally, especially considering the high toll riverrelated drowning deaths placed on regional and remote communities.

“James Cook University is proud to be a partner in this research which will continue to save lives, long after it’s complete,” he said.