Can you spot a rip current? Test your knowledge with our interactive quiz

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Rip currents are powerful, fast-moving currents that flow away from the shore, often occupying deep channels, and pose a significant hazard to swimmers. They are responsible for an average of 21 drownings a year in Australia, which are more deaths than bushfires, floods, cyclones and sharks combined.

Thousands of people get caught in rip currents each year around Australia. Research has shown that rips are more complex than previously thought and there is no single piece of advice for escaping a rip that works for all conditions and people. What you may have been taught to do as a kid may not actually be the best advice.

This quiz will teach you how to spot a rip, what to do if you’re caught in one and to remind you to always swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches. Good luck!

Rob Brander's UNSW Beach Safety Research Group receives funding from Surf Life Saving Australia.