Death by Selfie

Richard Jacobson, a 21-year-old hiker from Arizona, was camping in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix when he decided to take a selfie photo at the edge of a nearby cliff.

Jacobson — by all accounts a good kid who didn't use drugs — apparently thought a photo of himself against the lights of the city far below framed by the midnight stars — would be an awesome selfie to share.

But as he got ready to take the photo — backing up to the edge of the cliff — he slipped and tumbled 700 feet down the mountainside.

Jacobson was the latest casualty in a disturbing and growing trend among the young with their ever-present smartphone cameras:

Death by selfie.

According to a study published in October in the Journal of Travel Medicine, 379 people have died worldwide while taking selfies from January 2008 to July 2021.

Deaths have occurred after people tried to snap photos near dangerous animals, in front of oncoming trains and while perched on the tops of buildings and cliffs -- among other dangerous situations.

The average age of the people who died was 24, with the largest group under the age of 19. The most deaths — 100 — occurred in India, while 39 people died in the United States and 33 in Russia.

Although women generally take more selfies than men, researchers found men were more likely to take bigger risks – like standing at the edge of a cliff – to capture a dramatic photo.

Drowning is the leading cause of selfie deaths, usually involving people being washed away by waves on beaches or falling out of a boat.

The second-leading cause is listed as “transport” – people killed, for example, while trying to snap a quick pic in front of a moving train.

Tied for third are selfie deaths involving fires and falls from high places. Eight people died while taking selfies with dangerous animals.

Unsurprisingly, the U.S. led in the number of selfie deaths involving a firearm – people accidentally shooting themselves while posing with guns.

Selfie deaths in the U.S. are on the rise, the study noted. There were just three reported selfie deaths in 2011. By 2016, that number had shot up to 98.

Why?

“The youth and tourists are frequently affected because of the desire of ‘being cool,’ posting photos on social (media) and getting rewards in forms of likes and comments,” the study somewhat clumsily stated.

The study’s authors suggest that “no selfie zones” be established in high tourist areas, especially on mountain peaks, near bodies of water and on top of tall buildings.

Police in India say they’ve pinpointed such locations where they want to “restrain” people to prevent further casualties.

After a spate of selfie-related fatalities in 2015, police in Russia put out a brochure urging people to take a “safe selfie.”

The two-page guide contains infographics that resemble road signs, most of which are based on actual incidents – such as the case of a 21-year-old woman who accidentally shot herself in the head and a teen who was struck by a train while trying to take a photograph of herself on railway tracks.

Taking selfies is considered to be a mode of “cool” self-expression by today's self-obsessed, camera-handy generation.

Selfies are popular among Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest users, who enjoy receiving peer attention and racking up “likes.”

A study by the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care found there has been an exponential increase in the number of selfie deaths from 2014–2015 and from 2016–2017.

Researchers say this is because of increased use of mobile phones, enhanced selfie features on mobile phones, increased availability of selfie sticks, and the promotion of selfies through competitive selfie events.

Hmmmm ... I wonder if those who perished while doing something extremely stupid believe it was really worth it...

Nah. They're just dead.