Scotland’s new Drowning Prevention Strategy has been launched today, 25th July 2026, to coincide with World Drowning Prevention Day.
The strategy, covering 2026 to 2030, sets out a vision of moving “towards zero drownings” and building a future where everyone in Scotland can be safe in, on and around the water.
It comes as figures show Scotland’s drowning rate remains higher than the UK average.
Between 2019 and 2023, Scotland recorded a drowning rate of 0.86 per 100,000 people, compared with a UK average of 0.42.
There were 463 water-related deaths in Scotland over the five-year period. Of these, 236, or 51 per cent, were classed as accidental, while 194, or 42 per cent, were suspected suicides. The remaining 33 were inconclusive or related to crime.
There were an average of 47 accidental water-related deaths each year.
More recent data covering 97 fatalities between 2023 and 2025 found eight in ten accidental water-related deaths were male. Accidental deaths were most frequent among men aged between 50 and 59.
Around 65 per cent of accidental deaths happened at inland locations, while 51 per cent occurred during recreational activities.
Alcohol or drugs were reported as being present in 44 per cent of fatalities, while 31 per cent of accidental deaths happened during the summer.
The strategy has six main aims. These are to ensure water-related fatality data is collected and used to inform prevention work, strengthen water safety education across Scotland and ensure all local authorities and major landowners have an active water safety policy.
It also aims to increase public awareness of water-related risks, strengthen communication and collaboration between agencies involved in water-related search and rescue, and strengthen collaborative action to prevent suicide at water.
Education is a major part of the strategy.
Water Safety Scotland wants every child in Scotland to have the opportunity to learn essential aquatic life skills through primary school swimming.
It also wants to improve awareness of water safety education among schools, teachers and pupils, and expand access to existing resources.
The strategy says Water Safety Scotland and Education Scotland have already created free resources covering every age and stage of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Another aim is for all 32 Scottish local authorities to develop and adopt a water safety policy.
Councils will be offered annual workshops, guidance and one-to-one support, with priority given to areas considered to be at greatest risk.
Local water safety groups will also be encouraged to identify high-risk areas and put targeted action plans in place.
Water Safety Scotland also plans to continue promoting its Water Safety Code and strengthen public information about the role alcohol can play in water-related incidents.
The Water Safety Code encourages people to stop and think about dangers, stay together and stay close, and call 999 in an emergency.
Kirsten Oswald MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety, said: “I also recognise that to prevent accidental drownings, we must double down on our efforts to reach those at the greatest risk of water-related incidents, as well as achieve greater awareness amongst the general public of the dangers of the water.
“I know significant progress has already been made in realising this, and plans on how this will be built upon is well set out in the strategy.
“While further work undoubtedly remains, I am encouraged by the progress made so far and that there has been an overall decline in accidental drownings since the launch of the initial strategy in 2018.
“Through this successive strategy, partners have a solid foundation for the ongoing effort and I look forward to continuing to move towards our shared ambition of having safer, more resilient communities.”
The strategy will be reviewed annually by Water Safety Scotland, with progress against its actions monitored and reported.