Snapping a selfie might be one of the handy methods to seize an expertise on a visit, however some locations are extra harmful for picture ops than others.
Probably the most treacherous nation on the planet for taking selfies is India, in response to a brand new examine from The Barber Legislation Agency, as reported within the New York Put up. The nation was house to 42.1 p.c of all selfie-related incidents all over the world with the overwhelming majority (214 of the full reported 271 selfie incidents) leading to dying.
“Our analysis highlights a troubling pattern the place the pursuit of social media validation is actually costing lives. The proper picture merely isn’t well worth the hazard,” Kris Barber, the founder and principal lawyer at The Barber Legislation Agency, instructed the paper. “What’s significantly regarding is that almost all of those tragedies may have been prevented by taking a couple of steps again or discovering a safer vantage level.”
The second most harmful nation for selfies was the US, which reported 45 selfie-related incidents, together with 37 deaths and eight accidents. That was adopted by Russia, which took the third spot on the checklist with 19 whole selfie-related incidents, 18 of which resulted in dying.
To compile its checklist of probably the most harmful nations to take a selfie in, the regulation agency checked out selfie-related incidents that led to damage or dying between March 2014 and Might 2025. The main reason for selfie-related fatalities was falling, in response to the paper. That comprised 46% of all incidents.
Harmful selfies are additionally not new. A 2023 Journal of Medical Web Analysis examine discovered selfie-related incidents had been a public well being drawback. In that examine, “falls from cliff edges had been the most typical reason for selfie-related deaths in Australia and the US in aquatic places, and that younger ladies and women had been disproportionately affected.”
To remain secure when snapping a selfie, it’s essential to pay attention to your environment and keep away from getting too near the sting of any excessive precipice. It’s additionally essential to pay attention to the dangers to these round you.
“There are all the time safer alternate options to seize lovely moments with out placing your self in danger,” Barber instructed the Put up. “No quantity of likes or shares can justify endangering your life.”
And for vacationers preferring to seize reminiscences in a much less standard method, they need to think about investing in a journey sketchbook or a journal, or head out on a tech-free trip.