Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death globally (WHO 2014). Many of these incidents occur in natural environments such as oceans, lakes and rivers, each of which presents its own specific hazards. These drowning fatalities very often occur in the outdoor recreation context. In this study, we therefore analysed the influence of factors associated with the recreational quality of beaches (facilities provided, natural setting, activities available) on people’s reported willingness to adopt risky behaviours.