Study exposes gaps in beach safety education

Could you spot a rip?

Half of beach users in New Zealand would struggle to identify a rip current in photos and videos, according to a new Otago study.

The pilot study from the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka School of Geography found that only 50 per cent of beach users were able to spot the rip in photos – a widely-used education method – and short videos were no better.

Rachel Irvine

New Zealand recorded 72 drowning fatalities in 2024, according to Water Safety New Zealand.

Study lead author Rachel Irvine, who undertook the research as part of her Masters of Science in Geography, says the results expose the need for improved methods of beach safety education.

“Drowning remains a prominent issue in New Zealand and surf drownings are often attributed to rip currents.

“The easiest way to stay safe around rip currents, is to avoid entering them in the first place, and the best way to do this is learn to identify them. Most of us like to go for a swim or surf at the beach, but anyone can caught, so it’s important to always swim at a patrolled beach and stay between the red and yellow flags when you’re in the water”

Characteristics of rip currents are dark or different coloured water, gaps in the breaking waves, calm patches of water, criss-cross/ripping water, sediment-filled or foamy water.

More than half of beach users interviewed in the study (aged 18 – 69) had not received any rip current education.

Due to the difficulty of large-scale public training about rip hazards on the beach itself, photos have long been used in to educate beach users, however this has not led to an increase in skill as photos are not entirely representative of how rips present in real life.

In recent years short videos have also been used, but the Otago study is the first to assess whether videos are a more effective tool.

The study results indicate beach users are no better at rip identification using photos or videos, although study participants with surf-related experience or previous rip current education were able to identify rips 75 per cent of the time, Ms Irvine says.

“We are hoping that people will continue to grow their awareness of rip currents and educate themselves on how to identify rips.

“As always, it is best if the public go to a patrolled beach by lifeguards and swim between the flags, however when this is not possible, it is important that people look for rips before they enter the water.”

She recommends beach users utilise resources from Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Safeswim to educate themselves on rip currents and safe places to swim.

Co-author and research supervisor Professor Wayne Stephenson says the future of rip current education needs to move beyond static images and short videos, focusing instead on interactive and immersive learning experiences.

“For example, the development of augmented reality apps or virtual reality simulations to provide hands-on learning, allowing people to practice identifying rips in realistic beach scenarios before they set foot in the water.”