Being afraid of a shark attack is fairly common, preventing thousands each year from traveling to beach destinations. However, the reality of being attacked by a shark is now five times less dying by selfie.
Yes, you read that correctly. Selfies officially cause more deaths each year than five years of shark attacks combined.
This was discovered in 2019 when the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care in India found that a whopping 259 people worldwide had died in selfie-related incidents between 2011 and 2017. During those same years, only 50 people were killed by shark attacks.
And the risk of a ‘selfiecide,’ as the term has been coined, is only going up.
In 2011, a mere three people died while attempting a selfie. By 2017, that number had skyrocketed to 93.
In September 2018, an Israeli boy of 18 years, Tomer Frankfurter, fell to his death while hanging off a ledge by his fingertips in Yosemite National Park – all to smile for a daring selfie.
Eri Yuanto fell into the crater of Mt. Merapi in Indonesia in 2015 while attempting a selfie.
Of course, there are many more incidents in which people don’t die but are seriously injured.
For example, a woman was mauled by a jaguar in an Arizona zoo in March 2019 after crossing a barrier to take a selfie. She miraculously survived.
In any case, more and more people are willing to do risky or stupid things for that perfect shot.
Meanwhile, sharks aren’t attacking people any more than usual. So, put aside that fear of the beach and ocean water. Chances are, you’ll never even see a shark, let alone be attacked by one. According to the facts of today, you’re far more likely to die trying to simply take a picture of yourself and your friends.
