How ocean beach recreational quality fits with safety issues? An analysis of risky behaviours in France

Beaches are highly attractive environments providing a wealth of recreational services. However, many people drown unintentionally on beaches worldwide. In the face of these dangers, the establishment of supervised swimming areas remains one of the most effective preventive measures. Despite the risk of drowning, many beachgoers choose to recreate outside supervised areas or at unpatrolled beaches. Based on a representative survey of 240 beachgoers living in the south-west of France, we combine variable clustering method and logistic regressions to predict risky location choices. Surfers, anglers and beachgoers who practice beach sports are more likely to go outside the lifeguard supervised areas at patrolled beaches than those who do not. Collecting shells or having a picnic also encourages people to go to unsafe places more often. Individuals who do not like facilities are more likely to go to unpatrolled beaches. Neither gender nor the distance travelled to recreate at the beach has any significant statistical influence in the models. Two types of information seeking behaviours can be identified. Individuals who like waves and collect marine and weather information before going to the beach are more likely than others to bath outside of patrolled areas. In comparison, those who do not like waves do not necessarily seek to improve their knowledge base on the subject, but instead look for more detailed information on supervision/lifesaving patrols. These results highlight the need for a broader beach safety perspective with stronger interactions between lifeguards, beachgoers, and designers of recreational facilities.

Management implications

In this study, we demonstrated how preferences regarding outdoor recreation and beach recreational quality indirectly cause beachgoers to expose themselves to danger. It's therefore necessary to design recreational facilities that encourage people to remain in supervised, patrolled areas. It is also important to build a comprehensive beach safety perspective that includes lifeguards', recreational facilities designers' as well as beachgoers' representations and practices. On unpatrolled beaches, the time needed for rescuers to arrive may be delayed. Surfers and anglers who go to unpatrolled beaches more often than others could act as by stander rescuers if properly trained. The results underline the need to rethink widespread communication and prevention policy design. The findings show that people who declared themselves informed about marine weather conditions before coming to the beach are more likely than others to bathe outside supervised areas.