Australia's beloved red and yellow beach flags, a symbol of safety for many, may be causing more harm than good. While they are meant to guide beachgoers to safe swimming areas, research shows that these flags can be dangerously confusing for international visitors and even some locals. But here's where it gets controversial: is it time to change them?
The red and yellow flags have been a part of Australian beach culture since the 1930s, marking the patrolled area where lifeguards and surf lifesavers keep watch. However, a study found that only 3.4% of surveyed participants correctly interpreted the flags, with about 40% thinking they denoted danger. This is not surprising, as the flag system is not universal. Around the world, beach safety is communicated in different ways, with various colors, symbols, and messages.
The International Life Saving Federation recommends a global set of eight beach safety flags, including the familiar red-and-yellow for patrolled swimming areas, red for high hazard, yellow for medium hazard, and black-and-white for watercraft zones. However, even in Australia, half of domestic university students surveyed thought red and yellow flags marked a safe area, so surfers should also stay between them. This is the opposite of what the safety message intends.
The issue is further complicated by the fact that translation tools are not a reliable fix. A 2024 study found that key hazard terms are incorrectly translated by Google Translate, creating serious risks. For example, the term 'shore dump' (a place where big waves can suddenly break and 'dump' a swimmer underwater) is rendered in simplified Chinese as 'a place on the shore to dump rubbish'.
So, what's the solution? One study conducted in Europe developed and examined a modified version of the red and yellow beach safety flag, incorporating a pictogram of a lifesaver. This study found that adding the pictogram nearly doubled participants' correct understanding of the flags. Some experts have also advised that changing 'swim between the flags' to 'stay between the flags' could improve the translation, as 'swim' has different connotations in different cultures and languages.
While simply changing the colors of flags may not be enough, it's worth testing whether green flags improve beach safety communication. After all, the red and yellow flags are tied to a century of lifesaving culture, volunteerism, and community trust. But that legacy shouldn't stop us from exploring new ways to ensure that everyone can enjoy the beach safely, regardless of their language or cultural background.
