We Don't Want to Receive That Call: Think Before You Jump

Think Before You Jump

As the warmer weather continues, we are seeing more people visiting rivers, bridges and viaducts to cool off. While jumping into water may look exciting on social media, from a policing perspective it is an extremely dangerous activity that can have life-changing consequences.

Every year, emergency services are called to incidents where people have been seriously injured or have lost their lives after jumping from bridges and viaducts into rivers, lakes and reservoirs.

The dangers are often hidden beneath the surface:

⚠️ Unknown depths – Water levels can change rapidly due to weather, tides and river flow. What may have been deep enough yesterday might not be today.

⚠️ Submerged hazards – Rocks, debris, shopping trolleys, branches and other objects are often hidden beneath the water and cannot be seen from above.

⚠️ Cold water shock – Even on hot days, water temperatures can be dangerously low. Sudden immersion can cause your body to go into shock, making it difficult to breathe or swim.

⚠️ Strong currents – Rivers can have powerful undercurrents that can quickly pull even strong swimmers into difficulty.

⚠️ Impact injuries – Hitting the water from height is not like jumping into a swimming pool. The impact can cause broken bones, spinal injuries, loss of consciousness or worse.

⚠️ Risk to rescuers – When someone gets into trouble, police, fire and ambulance crews may have to enter dangerous situations to carry out a rescue, putting additional lives at risk.

What may seem like harmless fun can become a tragedy in seconds.

We would urge parents and guardians to speak to young people about the risks. We ask everyone to enjoy the water safely by using designated swimming areas where possible and avoiding jumping from bridges, viaducts or other structures.

If you see someone in difficulty in the water, call 999 immediately and ask for the appropriate emergency service. Do not enter the water yourself unless it is safe to do so.