New Beach Flags to Improve Safety are live!
New Beach Flags to Improve Safety
Dutch beaches attracts millions of visitors every year, both from the Netherlands and abroad. Many come to cool off in the sea, to swim, play, or enjoy water sports. The sea is popular, but can be dangerous as well. Each year, dozens of people drown, and many more are rescued by lifeguards. Every year, dozens of people drown, and lifeguards rescue many more from the water. Clear communication about potential dangers and advice on safe behaviour is therefore essential.
@Mijksenaar Lab and VU Amsterdam developed and tested new designs for beach flags that inform visitors on site about the current safety situation.
Existing beach flags were poorly understood
Beach flags have been used for decades to inform beach visitors and warn them of danger. In recent years, we have conducted research into how these flags are perceived and understood. The results from our first two studies were concerning, showing that the existing, internationally standardised flags were not well understood by most Dutch and international beach visitors. The red flag (‘Do not swim – very dangerous!) made sense to most people, but the meanings of the the yellow, purple, and red-over-yellow flags were often unclear.
Obviously, flags that are not understood do not contribute to safety. That is why we set out to develop a new, research-based information design that would lead to better understanding, greater compliance, and ultimately: improved safety.
Pictograms increase clarity
We designed and tested pictograms to add on to the flags, to clarify their meaning. The results were very positive: the number of correct answers to the question ‘What does this flag mean?; doubled. More importantly, the pictograms also encouraged safer behavioural intentions about whether or not to enter the water. Under the existing yellow flag (‘Swim with caution – dangerous!), seven out of ten people said they would enter the sea. With the new pictogram added to the flag, that number dropped to just one in ten.
After testing various versions with hundreds of participants, we developed a final set, including further refined pictograms and text labels. Last summer, these new flags were tested on the beaches of Julianadorp and Wassenaar, among Dutch and international beach visitors. Again, the new designs were found to lead to safer behavioural choices.
Now, after four years of research, the time has come: five new beach flags have been introduced and will soon appear along the entire Dutch coastline. A major milestone, and one that we hope will contribute to greater beach safety.
Research credits
The research was conducted by @F.D. Roefs (Mijksenaar Lab and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), @Prof. C.N.L. Olivers and @Dr. J. Snell (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), in collaboration with @Martin Hoogslag and @Bernard Korte of the Dutch Institute for Water Safety (@NIVZ). It is part of Dutch national programme Het Strand Veilig (Safe beach).
