Selfies are a lot of fun. That's why they are trending all over Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Social media enthusiasts even post them on Pinterest now, too. People of all ages and from all walks of life often love to take these unplanned self-portraits. You may opt to take selfies at home or on vacation, but one place you should never take a selfie is when you're behind the wheel of the car unless you are safely parked. Personal injury lawyers know all too well how deadly any kind of distracted driving can be. Here are just a few of the many reasons why you should never take a selfie while driving.
Reason #1: You Want to Arrive Alive
Even if you think that you can coordinate a quick driving selfie while navigating a low-traffic road, don't even think about it. Distract driving is such a problem in this country that there is an official U.S. government website about it.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least eight people are killed every day in the U.S. because of distracted driving accidents, and over a thousand more are injured. By taking your attention away from the road for even a few seconds to snap your selfie, you could be making a fatal decision.
Reason #2: You Don't Want to Hurt Innocent People
Unfortunately, distracted driving leads to a lot of pain for innocent drivers, passengers, and pedestrians on the road. Distracted driving plays a part in a whopping 17 percent of all car accidents that resulted in injuries. You may enjoy taking that quick selfie if you get a lot of positive feedback from friends, but that small rush would not be worth a lifetime of regret for hurting or killing someone on the road because of distracted driving.
Reason #3: You Value Your Freedom
According to an annual AAA survey, 80 percent of drivers see distracted driving as a big problem, and that is with good reason. What may be even more sobering for many drivers is the fact that a single cell phone or a snap of a selfie when you're behind the wheel can land you in prison.
Finally, keep in mind that selfies are meant to be fun. Take them in a safe way so that they can bring you and your friends joy for years to come. A personal injury attorney like James Lee Katz can tell you about the catastrophic consequence of being distracted on the road. You want to be able to look back on your selfies with no regrets, and the only way to ensure that you can do that is to keep safety first.
