A study newly published by the US National Library of Medicine NIH sheds light on deaths that occurred while taking selfies. The team behind the study found a total of 259 selfie-related fatalities had occurred between October 2011 and November 2017 from a total of 137 incidents around the globe.
Risky behavior is cited as the primary cause of these tragedies.
The researchers conducted their study "to assess the epidemiology of selfie-related deaths across the globe," according to the published research paper. Selfie-related deaths were categorized into two "causes" categories: non-risky behavior and risky behavior.
Risky behavior accounted for the majority of deaths, 72. 5% of which involved male and 27. 5% of which involved female victims. India was found to have the highest number of reported incidents, with Russia, the US, and Pakistan following. Falling, drowning, and transport-related incidents topped the reasons for the deaths.
As well, the study found that male victims were three times more likely to die during selfies due to risky behaviors, whereas non-risky behavior was the primary cause of female selfie-related fatalities. A recent example of such a tragedy involved 26-year-old Chinese "rooftopper" Wu Yongning who died after falling from a skyscraper.
The researchers conclude that regions with tall buildings, bodies of water, and other similar perilous places should be declared "no selfie zones" to help protect people from potential injuries or death.
. dpreview.com2018-10-6 22:03