International Tourists at Risk: Are Beach Warning Systems Failing to Communicate Dangers of 'Crushing Waves'?

Share and Follow

Australia’s beaches continue to pose fatal risks to overseas-born people, with a study suggesting many struggle to understand warnings presented on signs.

A Monash University study found beach-related terminology and even the colour of warning signs were regularly misinterpreted by international visitors.

As the summer season draws near, marking a time when drowning incidents typically rise, a recent study has emerged, prompting some cultural organizations to question whether beach safety education has been adequately addressed.

LISTEN TO

“Some individuals assumed it was safer to swim outside the flagged areas simply because they lacked swimming skills,” he mentioned.

Warnings about hazardous currents would likely discourage most swimmers, unless they observed others already in the water. Source: Supplied

High-risk signs such as “beach closed” or “do not swim” should be in red, rather than yellow, the study found, to ensure the seriousness of the message gets through.

Understanding signage was crucial, Shibata said, given many were tempted to simply follow what others are doing.

Ninety per cent said they would not go in the water if they saw a sign reading “dangerous current”, but half of them indicated they would go in if they saw others swimming, he said.

Amar Singh, from Sikh organisation Turbans 4 Australia, has argued for education campaigns and other initiatives to improve water safety among migrant communities.

But he said peak bodies had made minimal inroads in recent times.

“Sadly, people seem to only hear or learn about water safety when it’s too late,” he told AAP.

“We’re doing a lot of triage after the fact, rather than going out to community beforehand and going ‘hey, this is actually something that really can take your loved ones away.’”

Singh suggested a water safety briefing should be part of the visa application process.