THE definition of insanity, they say, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

That adage could be applied to the attitude of foreshore management authorities to the effectiveness of beach warning signs.

Last week we heard several things that should cause these authorities locally, including Life Saving Victoria, Parks Victoria, Phillip Island Nature Parks and Bass Coast Shire Council, to completely rethink the way they are developing warning signs at our beaches.

In an interview with the ABC over the weekend, Ankur Chhabra, who was with his sister, niece, nephew, and sister-in-law, when they went into the water on that fateful day at Forrest Caves on Wednesday, January, along with his brother-in-law, said the group simply did not see the warning signs at the entrance to the beach walkway.

Many locals agree, people simply don’t read the signs.

And with small logos on the sign at Forrest Caves bearing the message “Dangerous Current” and “No Lifesaving Service”, competing with a relatively large message “NO DOGS ANYTIME – Penalties apply”; it’s easy to understand why.

But signs do work, right, or we wouldn’t bother putting them up – Danger Do Not Enter, Danger High Voltage (authorised personnel only), Wrong Way Go Back… anything with a clear, simple message, not with a whole lot of complicated little messages that require a lot of reading, will deter most people.

But, during the week, we also heard that Phillip Island Nature Parks is getting ready to roll out a whole batch of new signs, but guess what, while these signs do comply with the latest Australian standard, they will include only minor changes to the existing signs.

“Wrong way, go back!”

Clearer, simpler messaging is needed.

So, what signs will people read? Do some market research with some prototype signs and ask the people who use the beaches which ones they would read, and which ones would change their behaviour.

And in line with the recommendations of Surf Life Saving Australia’s Beach Drowning Black Spot Reduction Program report for Bass Coast, the new signs “should be implemented in a coordinated and consistent manner” across the shire area.

It’s not all about the signs, but it’s a part of the solution for addressing the dangerous behaviour and rate of drownings at our beaches that we can endeavour to get right.