Driving Selfies Increasing Despite the Dangers

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Distracted Driving Accidents

Last summer was a record-setter in shark attacks around the world. There were 98 documented attacks, leaving many of the victims with loss of limbs, and there were even reports of several fatal attacks. Shows like “Shark Week” and films such as the classic “Jaws” leaving many of us in fear of being attacked by a shark. However, statistics show that taking selfies is much more dangerous and risks of being killed much higher than the risks of swimming in the ocean where sharks live.

In 2015, there were six people killed in shark attacks. In that same time period, there were hundreds of people who were killed or injured while attempting to take a selfie. One of the places that has seen a marked increase in the number of people taking selfies is behind the wheel of a car. Instead of concentrating on the road, these drivers are concentrating on getting their best angle – usually so they can post it to their social media pages.

Safety advocates say that taking a photo of yourself while driving is just as dangerous as getting behind the wheel after you have been drinking. In one survey, nine percent of the 500 participants admitted to the activity, but that number doubled to almost 20 percent for those surveyed who were under the age of 35. And contrary to what you may have thought, twice as many men are taking selfies while driving than women.

Last September, a survey was conducted on the popular social media site Instagram. There were over 22,000 posts under the #drivingselfie, six times more than was reported just two years before under the same hashtag.

In the seconds it takes to snap a photo, a vehicle which is traveling at 60 mph can travel 176 feet. That’s the length of half a football field.

Why would people put themselves and others at risk to take a photo of themselves to post to the Internet? According to one recent study, people who post multiple selfies also score high in tests measuring narcissism and psychopathic traits.

If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, contact an experienced Lake County personal injury attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against the negligent driver for your pain and loss. Call the law firm of Salvi & Maher, L.L.C. at 847-662-3303 today to schedule a consultation.

Sources:

http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2015-09-15/selfies-vs-shark-attacks-which-is-more-deadly-for-travelers

http://news.sky.com/story/1523709/driving-selfies-as-dangerous-as-being-drunk

http://saferoads.org/2015/10/16/selfie-culture-finds-dangerous-place-behind-the-wheel/

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/01/15/snapping-selfies-while-driving-is-dangerous-warns-aaa/

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34466322