Selfie Deaths

Ryan Fredrick, Reporter

More than 250 people worldwide have died while 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 fact that people in this age are so adamant to capture every moment on these devices is sad. People are living to impress other people, and some of those people aren’t living because of it now,” senior Mario Gonzales said.

The findings, which analyzed news reports of the 259 selfie-related deaths from October 2011 to November 2017, found that the leading cause of these deaths was the risk factor in taking pictures in dangerous places like the top of buildings or in front of sharks.

“It just shows that people are so caught up in their phones, they cannot enjoy the simpler moments in life. They want attention so bad that they risk their lives for it,” senior Kobe Wenger said.

Of the 259 deaths, researchers found the leading cause to be drowning, followed by incidents involving transportation, for example, taking a selfie in front of an oncoming train and falling from heights. Other causes of selfie-related deaths include animals, firearms and electrocution.

“People think it is cool to show off about that kind of stuff, but it’s not. As shown, it can kill people. If you are in a dangerous place, there is no reason to have your phone out and taking your attention away from the danger,” sophomore Lucas Sweeney said.

In 2016, Mumbai declared 16 “no selfie zones,” on top of buildings and construction sites,  across the city following a slew of selfie-related deaths, the Guardian reported. Earlier this year, a national park in Indonesia announced it would be working to create a safe spot for photos after a hiker died taking a selfie, according to the Jakarta Post.