Driving Selfies — A Dangerous New Trend

Experienced Attorneys Fighting for Victims of Distracted Drivers in MA and RI

Over the past few years, a dangerous new trend has evolved — driving selfies. Taking a picture of oneself is not necessarily dangerous — unless you are behind the wheel. In fact, driving selfies are an extremely dangerous form of distracted driving, capable of causing serious car accidents and catastrophic injuries.

How Far the Driving Selfie Trend Has Gone

It appears that taking selfies has now gone a little too far. When the driver of a moving vehicle puts attention on taking a selfie rather on the task of driving, innocent lives are put at risk. No self-portrait, or any other picture for that matter, should outweigh the importance of a human life.

On Instagram, one of today’s most popular photo-sharing social media sites, the hashtag #drivingselfie has been used on more than 23,000 posts, and #drivingselfies has been used in excess of 6,000 times. Other hashtags associated with this dangerous trend include: #drivingtowork (16,785 posts at this time), #selfiewhiledriving (6,168 posts) and #behindthewheel (16,009 posts).

While not all of the photos that use these hashtags may have been taken while a person was driving or behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, it is still an indication of a deadly trend. Driving selfies can also easily be found on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites.

In October, CNN reported on an incident where a woman had apparently been live streaming herself as she was driving drunk. Fortunately, some of the viewers who saw the live stream called police to report her before an accident occurred. In another incident, WCSH6 reported on a man who had attempted to take a driving selfie, but instead ended up crashing into a tree and causing injuries to many of his passengers.

Distracted Driving Statistics

Distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, reports that in 2013, a total of 3,154 people lost their lives and another 424,000 sustained injuries in accidents involving distracted drivers. Close to 27 percent of the distracted drivers in these fatal crashes were individuals in their 20s. An estimated 10 percent of drivers under the age of 20 who were involved in fatal collisions were reportedly distracted at the time of impact. This statistic is not surprising, considering teens use smartphones more than any other demographic. They also take and post selfies on social media more frequently than other age groups, including while driving — extremely dangerous behavior.

We encourage all drivers to refrain from engaging in distracting activities while behind the wheel, including driving selfies. Pull over to the side of the road, or wait until you are stopped in a safe location, before pulling out that cell phone or camera to take a picture. It could save a life.

Hire a Skilled Auto Accident Lawyer in Rhode Island

If you have suffered injury or a loved one has been killed by a distracted driver, it is important you retain legal representation at once. Distracted drivers need to be held accountable for their actions, regardless of whether they were texting, talking on a cell phone, taking a driving selfie, or engaging in other negligent behaviors behind the wheel. Our job is to help you pursue fair and just compensation for your injuries and other losses.

To get started, call a Rhode Island auto accident lawyer at the Bottaro Law Firm, LLC now.