Selfies Can Be Deadly

Outside of causing congestion and stress in high-traffic tourist areas, a recent study found that a number of people are dying from taking selfies around the globe. Researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences examined news reports between October 2011 and November 2017 and found that 259 selfie-related deaths had occurred worldwide, with the highest share occurring in India.

Drowning, transportation, and falling were the most frequent causes of selfie-related deaths. People often engage in risky behavior to get the perfect selfie for social media. Bansal, the lead author, believes there may be more selfie related deaths that go unreported and therefore undocumented, which were not counted in the this study. Mumbai now has 16 selfie-free zones to prevent deaths and injuries.