More than 250 people worldwide have died taking selfies, study finds
Researchers suggest creating ‘no selfie zones’ banning them in certain areas such as near bodies of water, on mountain peaks and tops of tall buildings
The next time you are standing at the edge of a scenic cliff or on top of a waterfall, take care when you have the urge to snap a quick selfie. It could be the last thing you do.
More than 250 people worldwide have died taking selfies in the last six years, according to a new study from researchers associated with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, a group of public medical colleges based in New Delhi. The findings, which analysed news reports of the 259 selfie-related deaths from October 2011 to November 2017, were published in the July-August edition of the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.
Researchers found the leading cause of death to be drowning, followed by incidents involving transport – for example, taking a selfie in front of an oncoming train – and falling from heights. Other causes of selfie-related death include animals, firearms and electrocution.
“The selfie deaths have become a major public health problem,” said Agam Bansal, the study’s lead author.
Though the study found India to have the highest number of deaths of all countries, numerous reports of fatal selfie incidents have also come from Russia, the United States and Pakistan. Bansal noted that while the simple act of taking a selfie isn’t deadly, the hazard arises when people take risks while trying to get that perfect shot.
