Be a good mate to someone thinking about swimming under the influence of alcohol.
Friends don’t let friends drive drunk so why let them swim under the influence?
Look after yourself and your friends
- Participate in aquatic activities before drinking and don’t enter the water after consuming alcohol.
- Trust your instincts – if you don’t feel safe you probably aren’t.
- Avoid risky situations – drugs and alcohol affect your judgement and stop you thinking clearly.
- Be a good friend, don’t leave your mates on their own – never swim or surf alone or at night, and always swim in safe locations i.e. between the flags.
Alcohol and swimming don’t mix.
Be the influence
Young people are role models, they look at their peers and model their behaviour around each other. You can be the influence in relation to alcohol use by:
- Having the strength to say no to swimming when alcohol is consumed.
- Suggest alternative activities that don’t involve swimming while under the influence of alcohol.
- Stand up for others facing peer pressure.
- Schedule your aquatic activity to happen BEFORE any alcohol is consumed.
- If you have been drinking, don’t go back into the water and don’t allow your friends to either.
- Make sure you have had a substantial meal before drinking and drink plenty of water
Know what to do if you get in trouble
- Learn basic first aid – if a friend is drunk or sick, stay with them. If they want to lie down, put them on their side in case they vomit.
- Call triple zero (000) – if someone passes out or looks like they’re in trouble.