What is the 'mortality rate' of people who jump in to help during a water accident?
Yes, I will answer your question immediately.
■ Mortality rate of people who jumped in to try and save a drowning person
◇ Survey in China (2013 / based on newspaper reports)
In 225 water rescue cases surveyed in mainland China, the mortality rate for bystander rescuers was approximately 13%. This is a high rate, roughly equivalent to the approximately 11.5% for the primary drowning victims (PDVs).
Furthermore, it has been reported that among rescuers who encountered danger in the water (23.5%), 57% died—a very serious reality.
◇ Fact-finding survey in Turkey (2005–2008 / using media reports)
In a survey summarizing 88 rescue-related drowning accidents in Turkey, 114 rescuers drowned and died, which averages out to approximately '1 to 2 rescuers dying per rescue attempt'.
This survey warns that because rescuers are often untrained laypeople, there is a high incidence of 'multiple drowning incidents' where the rescuer themselves becomes a victim.
◇ Reports from Australia and New Zealand
Cases where 'a person jumps in to rescue and becomes a victim themselves' are called 'aquatic victim-instead-of-rescuer scenarios.' In Australia, 103 people died in such accidents between 1992 and 2010, and in New Zealand, 81 people died between 1980 and 2012.
■ Comprehensive trends and evaluation
Although the mortality rate for rescuers varies by country and survey method, figures as high as 10–20% have been reported.
In particular, the mortality rate is high in cases where untrained people jump in,
and in Japan, for example, accidents where adults drown after jumping in to help during water accidents at sea, rivers, or lakes are frequently reported, so responses such as 'first throw something that floats or call for help' are recommended.
■ Conclusion (Answer to your inquiry)
Yes, the mortality rate for untrained individuals who jump in to help is generally very high, at around 10–20%, and it is an act that carries significant risk, which is the reality that emerges from domestic and international data.
Many experts recommend the teaching 'Reach or throw, don’t go,' and advise that reckless jumping in should be avoided.
What about statistics for 'Japan'?
Yes, there are no statistics available in Japan that directly indicate the mortality rate of 'people who jump in to help'.
■ Summary
There is no data in official Japanese statistics that clearly states the mortality rate of rescuers..
However, the fatality rate in water accidents in Japan is extremely high, and there are many reports of situations where 'the rescuer's life is also put at risk'.
Therefore, while overseas rescuer mortality rates of 13-20% can serve as a reference, in Japan, it is cautioned that 'jumping in to help is itself an extremely dangerous act with a high fatality rate'.
Although I could not provide a direct numerical value, I hope I have sufficiently conveyed the seriousness of the risks involved in water rescue.
I am surprised there are no Japanese statistics. I swam seriously for about 15 years, including in school clubs, but even then, I was told 'never jump in for a water rescue, and do not be overconfident'... It requires specialized training and is different from competitive swimming, and even with training, you shouldn't jump in—but if an acquaintance were drowning right in front of me, I feel like I would impulsively jump in, thinking 'I'm a swimmer, I can do this!' It's a bit foolish and involves vanity, too.
[PR] The man who kicks enemies aside with nothing but luck and peerless fortune.
AI-generated, for reference only.
いいなと思ったら応援しよう！
最後まで読んでくださって、ありがとうございます。この AI 問答に少しでも「面白さ」や「楽しさ」を感じていただけましたら、ぜひチップという形で応援いただけると嬉しいです。頂戴したご支援は、AI への課金や資料収集に充て、より質の高い対話をお届けする為に大切に使わせていただきます。