Most Dangerous Places To Take Selfies

Death by selfie is not a phenomenon anymore. Since 2014, more than 50 people have died in pursuit of the perfect self-portrait; the average age of the victims is 21 years old, according to Priceonomics. The analysis is based on reported incidents but, undoubtedly, there are cases that went unnoticed by the media. Governments are stepping up efforts to prevent photo-related fatalities. The trend of taking extreme selfies has exploded. People are climbing buildings, cranes and even construction sites just to get incredible photos.

Some people are ready to do whatever it takes for the "perfect selfie," including risking their lives or going to jail. When Mount Kilauea erupted in May, many thrill seekers were caught going close to the lava and taking selfies. Dozens have been arrested and fined. Roadblocks were even set to deter photographers, but they didn't work.

Unless you're bungee jumping,  have strong cords and a leg harness strapped around you, hanging or standing on the railings of a bridge is dangerous. The most well-known incident is the death of a 24-year-old Polish college student in 2014. She lost her balance while posing for a self-portrait picture with the Puente de Triana in the background. She fell 23 feet onto a narrow concrete path below. Similar deadly accidents have been reported in Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia. 

A Polish couple was killed after they tried to take a selfie on the Cabo da Raca cliff in Portugal. They fell hundreds of feet, and their kids witnessed the incident. The parents crossed a barrier to take a selfie together near the 450-feet-high edge, according to the media.  Somehow they slipped and plummeted off the beachfront cliff. A New York City EMT fell to her death while rock climbing – she took and lost her footing on a cliffside near Lake George.

There are too many fatal incidents happening on top of trains and on tracks. Electrocution and getting hit by a train are the main causes. A 21-year-old man died from electrocution after climbing on top of a train to take a selfie with friends; several similar accidents have been reported over the last two years alone. A teenager was killed by a speeding train while posing for a selfie on the track; this happens more often than you think.

Almost a year ago a Japanese tourist died after allegedly slipping down the stairs at India's Taj Mahal monument, according to eyewitnesses. The men fell while taking a selfie at the Taj Mahal's Royal Gate. Another man also fell from the same stairs but he luckily only hurt his leg.

People are trying to take cool photos of themselves with interesting backgrounds and stop paying attention. Unfortunately, this has resulted in deadly falls and drownings. A man died after falling at Long Men waterfall in Zhejiang; a girl was pulled into the water by a giant wave due to high tide; a South Korean tourist plunged 1,600 feet at Gocta waterfall in the Amazonas Region of Peru. A quick Google search shows many similar incidents.

A 20-year-old Canadian tourist fell 246 feet off a viewpoint in the Plitvice Lakes National Park while trying to take a selfie. Miraculously, he survived because tree branches broke his fall. However, a Slovak tourist was killed in 2015 in the same park when she fell from a rock as she was trying to snap a self-portrait. "Dear tourists, we respect you. It's time for you to start respecting yourself. So, stop making stupid and dangerous selfies. Thank you," the park service wrote in a Twitter post.

Yes, running with the bulls during the San Fermin Festival in Spain is definitely extreme, which is why people want to capture themselves in the moment. Mirror explains that a man died while being gored by a bull while taking a selfie on his mobile phone. A law was passed – anyone who endangers people's lives by taking photos or filming during the run may be fined up to $2,050.

Approximately 770 people have died in the Grand Canyon since the mid-1800s and about 12 deaths happen every year. The majority of the canyon doesn't have any railings and you can literally walk to the edge anywhere you go. Just recently, a woman fell off of the edge of a cliff posing for a group shot with her hiking pals, according to Express.

Roller coasters are thrilling, and although we would love to capture the moment or record the fun, it is extremely dangerous to do so. Oddee explains there was an incident on a roller coaster at Disney California Adventure – guests were stranded for up to an hour on top of the California Screemin' ride after it was shut down because a man used a selfie stick.

Machu Picchu is a must-see World Heritage Site. However, a couple of years ago a German tourist ignored the safety warnings, went out to the edge of the ravine and lost his footing while trying to take a "flying selfie," he plunged 100 meters to his death, according to Daily Mail.

Sharks are extremely dangerous; if you antagonize them they will attack you. In this case, a Hawaii man was attacked by a tiger shark while taking a selfie video. He even uploaded the graphic video after the attack, according to Inquisitr.

This park is known for its wild bears. People risk their lives posing with selfie sticks and trying to get as up close to the bears as possible. According to Mashable, the overabundance of selfies with bears at the park caused officials to shut it down for the foreseeable future.

Thousands of people head to the Tour de France to watch the action. It's only natural that one would want to take photos of the excitement. However, according to ny.mag.com, many people are turning their backs to the cyclists and taking selfies. Riders have crashed from knocking into fans and have knocked into other riders trying to avoid the fans.

Waterfalls are gorgeous, who wouldn't want to capture an awe-inspiring photo? While, taking photos of them are nice, taking selfies in front of them have shown to be dangerous. A South Korean tourist fell to his death in Peru while taking a photo of himself, according to the Telegraph.