Royal Life Saving Australia has warned people not to swim after drinking alcohol over the Australia Day weekend, as new figures reveal a dramatic increase in drownings this summer.

Since the start of December, Royal Life Saving Australia has recorded a total of 59 drownings, a 16 per cent increase in deaths from the same period last year.

Royal Life Saving Australia is asking people to be careful to swim first before drinking. Credit:Dallas Kilponen

Young men were the most at risk, with males aged 25-44 making up more than one-quarter of all drownings.

In fact, males accounted for 80 per cent of all summer drownings - a statistic that is "unfortunately bang on trend" with annual averages, where men drown at four times the rate of women, according to Royal Life Saving National Manager of Research and Policy, Amy Peden.