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The World May Start Getting “Selfie Seats” Because Too Many Tourists Are Dying

Travel Safety News
by Eben Diskin Feb 15, 2019

Everyone loves a good selfie, but unfortunately, selfies can make you lose focus, not watch where you’re going, and even sustain great injury. Last month, for example, a tourist fell to his death at Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher while reportedly trying to take a selfie. In response to this and similar incidents, Jim Daly of Ireland’s Department of Health is requesting the addition of “selfie seats” to popular tourist locations in order to keep people safe. The seats would basically serve as a stable place for people to sit in front of a scenic backdrop and safely take as many photos as their hearts desire.

Daly believes that in addition to being a safety measure, the “selfie seats” could function as a good marketing tool, attracting more visitors. Initially, he envisions them being installed at popular lookout points in Ireland like Old Head of Kinsale and Mizen Head before evaluating where they might be needed elsewhere.

In a report from The Southern Star, Daly said, “Families and individuals love taking photographs of themselves in areas of natural beauty. But often it is almost impossible to find a steady location or to know where the best shot is.”

While it might initially sound like overkill, selfie seats might actually prove to be a necessity around the world. A study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences found that between October 2011 and November 2017, 259 people died from selfie-related deaths around the world. “The youth and tourists are frequently affected,” the study says, “because of the desire of ‘being cool,’ posting photos on social (media) and getting rewards in forms of likes and comments.”

Unfortunately, the selfies that typically result in injury or death are from people looking to stand out from the Instagram feed by posing at the edges of cliffs or in other precarious situations, so there’s no promise people would even want to use a selfie seat.

H/T: Fodor’s

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