The majority, or 71% of Latvia’s population, cannot swim at least 200 meters, and one in three has admitted to finding themselves in a potentially life-threatening situation in water at some point in their lives, according to a study conducted by the Latvian Swimming Federation (LPF) and the organization “Swim Safe.”
The level of swimming skills among Latvia’s residents is critically low. Survey data show that only 5% of adult respondents rate their swimming skills as very good, while 32% consider them good.
Aivars Platonovs, president of the LPF, points out that good swimming ability is the main condition for reducing drowning risks, and a comprehensive and regular swimming education program would help mitigate the tragic statistics. Currently, only 23% of children have access to swimming lessons in schools led by competent instructors, and this figure has decreased by 6% compared to 2019. Among adult respondents, only 22% learned to swim in organized classes.
According to the survey, a significant majority, or 68% of respondents, indicate that they learned to swim from their parents or through self-teaching. Platonovs adds that this type of self-taught swimming skill can create a false sense of self-assessment. People lack awareness of how much they do not know, leading to overconfidence and potentially life-threatening situations.
This is also supported by the study’s data—of those who learned to swim through self-teaching, 37% rated their skill as good or excellent, yet only 26% could swim a distance that meets the definition of swimming ability—200 meters without stopping. In contrast, 66% of those who learned to swim in specialized lessons can do so.
The study reveals that respondents who learned swimming in a pool under the guidance of a coach have greater knowledge regarding safe behavior around water. Those who can swim are more likely to choose to relax at public swimming areas with lifeguard presence or in swimming pools. In contrast, those who learned to swim from friends or parents, or who have poor to average skills, visit swimming pools significantly less often and instead enjoy water activities in nature, paying less attention to choosing safe swimming areas.
In the survey, 59% of all respondents who swim very poorly admitted that they still go to some swimming areas during the summer season.
According to data from the Disease Prevention and Control Center, drowning is one of the leading external causes of death for residents of Latvia under the age of 54, including children under 17 years. On average, 129 people drown each year, seven of whom are children. Additionally, men drown 3.5 times more often than women.
Zane Gemze, founder of the organization “Swim Safe,” is convinced that the only reason children drown is due to a lack of supervision, and therefore, parents must not allow situations where children are alone near water.
“No book, funny video on the phone, or visually appealing but unguarded body of water is worth a child’s life. In all other cases, the blame lies with irresponsible, reckless behavior and overestimation of one’s abilities. Drowning is preventable, provided there is understanding, knowledge, and good swimming skills,” emphasizes Gemze.
The vast majority of respondents indicate two main reasons for accidents in water: the use of alcohol or other intoxicating substances, as cited by 79% of respondents, and overestimation of their skills, mentioned by 74%.
A still high – 57% – is the number of respondents who would try to rescue a person in water, even if they have not learned drowning rescue skills. One in four, who rate their swimming skills as poor, would jump into the water.
Survey data also show that the percentage of residents acknowledging they have found themselves in potentially life-threatening situations in or near water has increased from 24% to 30%. There is also a rise in those who have not learned drowning rescue skills but are willing to jump into the water to save their loved ones or anyone in trouble—from 30% to 34% and from 21% to 23%, respectively. At the same time, very few are willing to warn others about life-threatening behavior near water.
Swimming organizations are calling for the development of a national-level strategy and action plan to promote safety around water and reduce drowning risks, encompassing public education and training, improvement of regulatory frameworks, development of suitable infrastructure, and regular monitoring and analysis of the situation.
They also advocate for expanding access to swimming lessons in schools. The government and local authorities should facilitate the integration of swimming education programs into the education system, especially for students in grades 1-3, ensuring sufficient quantity and quality of lessons, as well as providing the state co-financing necessary for the implementation of children’s swimming education programs in schools, the organizations stress.
They also recommend developing and implementing a water competence training program of 108 hours along with methodological materials to ensure children’s swimming instruction in educational institutions, with clearly defined learning outcomes to be achieved after each academic year and regular monitoring. It is crucial to establish a scale for assessing swimming skills, as noted by representatives of the LPF and “Swim Safe.”
Additionally, the organizations urge the promotion of public awareness regarding safety around water, the risks of alcohol consumption, and the importance of wearing life jackets through informative and educational campaigns. There should also be swimming and other types of training organized for adults, fostering collaboration with state and local government institutions as well as non-governmental organizations.
Regarding safe swimming areas, it is necessary to strengthen and expand the network of official and suitable recreational swimming spots staffed by lifeguards, simultaneously encouraging residents to choose safe swimming areas for leisure activities, the organizations emphasize.
At the same time, swimming organizations point out that investments in the construction and maintenance of swimming pools and other swimming infrastructure are essential to ensure access to quality swimming education in all regions. Special attention should be given to the accessibility of swimming pools in the Madona, Tukums, and Talsi municipalities, as well as in Riga.
The survey was conducted in May and June 2024 by the marketing research company “Berg Research” at the request of the LPF as part of the project “Summer is Approaching – Remember Water Safety,” funded by the Society Integration Fund with state budget resources allocated by the Ministry of Culture.
You can find information about the study data (latvian) – Latvijas iedzīvotāju peldētprasme un paradumi, atpūšoties pie ūdens/ūdenī | Ziņojums par kvantitatīvās aptaujas rezultātiem. 2024.gads.
