Festival safety

• Daylight driving ensures better visibility, less eye strain and is less fatigue. Driving at night, especially on windy roads at high speeds, can take a while to get used to. 
• Congested traffic may be frustrating, but it’s common especially over peak summer holidays and long weekends. One handy rule to remember is the ‘four-second rule’. If you’re too close then reduce your speed, you don’t want to be liable if the car in front of you suddenly stops.
• Take turns. If you’re driving others who have their licence, consider breaking up the journey and taking turns driving. 
• Bad weather can be more common than you think over the summer months. Take note of the weather forecast, road closures, and road conditions before driving. If the road is wet or has loose gravel, reduce speed and stay alert.
• Sun strike can impair your vision and is rather scary if you’re unfamiliar with it. Bring sunglasses - especially polarised ones as these take the glare out of the sun, reflections of other cars and water on the road. If in doubt, pull over. 
• Driving can be tiring - if you know you have a long journey, consider arriving the day before the festival. 

For more information, check out our in-depth guide to Road safety.

Part of having a really good time is looking out for yourself and your friends. Here's a few reminders to make the most of your festival experience!

• Plan ahead: Bring your medication, a range of clothing options to cover all temperatures, a phone battery pack, all the essentials and consider earplugs to protect your hearing! Save the festival map to your phone so you don’t get lost.
• Go with friends or trusted people: Having someone you trust, especially over multi-day festivals, is important. You can organise a buddy system so you don’t get lost in crowds, and don’t have to rely solely on your phone battery.
• Drinking alcohol: Start earlier in the day and use the one drink, one water method to stay hydrated. 
• Take breaks: Most festivals tend to have chill-out areas. These should be outlined clearly on the festival maps. They’re a great place to escape, re-group, and decompress before heading to the next act on your agenda.
• Consent: Someone cannot give their informed consent to sexual activity if they are too drunk, high or out of it. 
• Safe sex: The only thing that protects from STIs is condoms. Ensure you have some if needed, and if you’re on contraception, don’t forget to bring it. If you do have unprotected sex, get an STI check-up through your local GP or family planning. 

Festivals amass huge crowds of people, and it’s especially important to stay vigilant. Crowd crushing occurs when the crowd becomes so densely packed that there is no room to move, and you are crushed against others. This can result in compressive asphyxiation, which is external forces compressing the lungs and chest so that one is unable to breathe. There’s also the concern of being trampled on if you’re pushed to the ground, which can cause serious physical harm. 

Consider where to stand

As exciting as it is to stand at the front of the mosh pit, most festival and concert-goers know that the front can be pure chaos. To avoid being trapped, consider the back, the sides or any area that feels less congested. It enables freedom of movement, space to dance, and less pushing.

Tips if crowd crushing occurs

1. Don’t panic, stay on your feet and use hand gestures to communicate with friends.
2. Don’t fight the crowd and keep moving with it.
3. Try keeping your arms up to your chest in a boxer stance with your feet apart to keep your balance
4. If you do fall, do your best to get back up. If you can't get up curl up into a ball with your arms over your head to protect it. 

For more in depth tips, check out the How to Stay Safe in a Crowd Crush video.

Types of suspicious activity may include:

• Theft and pickpocketing: Watch for people who seem to be targeting others belongings or using distraction techniques.
• Drug-related issues : Report any suspicious behaviour, including drink spiking.
• Safety and security threats: Be vigilant around individuals who are loitering, acting strangly or attempting to get unauthorised access to secure areas.
• Assaults and harassment: Report instances of physical or sexual assault, harassment or other inappropriate behaviour.

Some personal safety tips to keep in mind:

• Stay aware of your surroundings.
• Have a fully charged phone.
• Use a buddy system and look out for your friends.
• Keep valuables secure in zipped pockets, bags or lockers.
• Be an active bystander - if someome looks uncomfortable, check in with them.
• Know the escape routes/fire exits in case of an emergency
• See something, say something (make a report if something looks suspicious).