Trends in the wear of personal flotation devices (PFDs) in the UK 2009–2017

Abstract

Around 372 000 people drown every year globally. In countries, such as the UK, a large proportion of these deaths are due to recreational boating accidents, and a dominant factor influencing the outcome is whether the person was wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). The rate of PFD wear is low around the world, with reported rates ranging from 5% to 40%. In an effort to combat this, the UK has been running an education campaign since 2009 to try and increase PFD wear. In this contribution, 9 years of observational data show that the educational efforts have had little impact on the rate of wear over time. Activity type and age both influenced wear rates, with kayakers and children significantly more likely to wear PFDs. This study shows that education has been ineffective and there needs to be some consideration of regulatory approaches in order to reduce drowning.