Politics & Government

Dangerous New Trend: Teens Taking "Selfies" While Driving

If the text can wait, so can that duck face selfie.

First there was MySpace. Then Facebook. Along came texting and Twitter. Then Instagram.

Duck face photos flooded the internet. Technology has allowed young people to strike a pose and share with ease. And teenagers do like to share. 

But along with the technology comes the driver's license. And thus the most recent safety concern: taking selfies while driving.   

“This is an extremely dangerous behavior and should never happen,” said DMV Commissioner Melody Currey. “For the few seconds it takes to snap a photo, it could be the last photo they take of themselves or friends if a crash happens.”

CNN recently reported young drivers aren't shy about sharing their photos. Instagram shows more than 3,727 posts under the #drivingselfie hashtag, more than 1,869 for the plural #drivingselfies, and more than 9,700 for #drivingtowork. Some users add the optimistic tag, #Ihopeidontcrash, according to the news station.

"Distracted driving is dangerous in any form," said Dr. C. Steven Wolf, Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Hartford's Saint Francis Hospital in a release from DMV. "Taking pictures of yourself behind the wheel while driving invites the kinds of crashes we are trying to prevent," Wolf continued. 

Dr. David Shapiro, trauma surgeon at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, was cautions against distracted driving.

“People of all ages like to take 'selfies.' We post them on Facebook, Instagram, Hipstagram, Twitter, etc. This can be fun, but there are times when 'selfies' are inappropriate--especially in the car,” Shapiro said in the DMV release.

Shapiro has the following advice for teens:

1. Behind the wheel. Hang up your phone and drive. Taking "selfies" is distracting not only to the driver taking his or her own photo, but to those around them--both in their vehicle and outside of it.

2. In the passenger seat--don't take pictures of the driver or anyone else. Be a participant--a contributor to vehicle safety, not a detractor.


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