2025 Volume 81 Issue 17 Article ID: 25-17053
There are from 1,300 to 2,000 rescues every year on patrolled beaches of Japan. Rip currents account for 48 % of the natural factors of drowning accidents. In generally, it is difficult for beachgoers to recognize rip currents. In order to reduce rip current accidents, it is necessary to clarify the actual level of beachgoer’s knowledge and ability to recognize rip currents. In this study, it was investigated to clarify the recognition ability of rip currents with different beaches, locations, weather and wave conditions, rip current characteristics, and viewpoints using Virtual Reality (VR) and the eye-tracking. In addition, in order to quantitatively evaluate the rip current knowledge and clarify whether knowledge leads to differences in recognition, a knowledge survey was conducted for participants. Three gazing data were used in the analysis as follows; Number of visits in the rip current area, Total duration of visit, and Time to first fixation. As a result, rip currents that generate under the calm wave conditions and the fixed rip were not well known and were difficult to recognize. Almost all participants could recognize the permanent rip from a viewpoint where the entire that could be seen. It was also found that even those participants with knowledge had difficulty recognizing the calm rip and the fixed rip, and were not always able to recognize the flash rip and the permanent rip more quickly and confidently. It was thought that the results can be used to improve measures to prevent rip current accidents.
