The Latest Example of Why Young Drivers and Social Media is a Bad Combination

Many people have heard of the popular movie Bird Box even if they have not seen it. After all, news of the Netflix movie has been spread through word-of-mouth as well as the many memes that have appeared on social media.

Social media has, unfortunately, embraced the movie in a dangerous way – the “Bird Box Challenge”. This is the latest viral social media challenge inspired by the movie in which the characters played by main character Sandra Bullock and the other actors wear blindfolds in order to avoid a mysterious force that causes everyone who sees it to commit suicide. In attempting the challenge, people have begun posting themselves on social media doing dangerous things while blindfolded.

News4Jax recently reported that a Utah teen crashed her car after driving while blindfolded in an attempt to do the Bird Box Challenge. Miraculously, no injuries were reported despite the teen ending up in the wrong lane, hitting another car and colliding with a light pole.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the only dangerous Bird Box Challenge attempt and even Netflix itself tweeted a warning advising people not to hurt themselves. This is, however, the latest example of why teenagers, social media, and driving don’t mix.

How Dangerous Can Social Media Be For Young Drivers?

Keep in mind that car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in this country according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Each day in 2016, six teens between the ages of 16 and 19 died as the result of a car crash. Therefore, driving is obviously an inherently high risk activity for teenagers. And when teenagers are driving, one study found that distracted driving, including social media, causes more crashes than any other factor, especially when they are driving with other teens. In lieu of this, it is probably unsurprising that the teen who crashed while attempting the Bird Box Challenge had a 16-year-old passenger in the car.

How Can I Help Keep the Young Drivers in My Life Safe?

Encourage your teen to keep passengers to a minimum. Explain to your teen that extra passengers can be distracting and can cause a car accident.

Discourage phone use while driving. Explain to your teen that even though it may not seem like a big deal, even looking away from the road for a few seconds could lead to a crash.

Talk to your teen about the dangers of speeding. Unfortunately, teenagers love to test limits and this includes speed limits, which can have tragic results when combined with phone use. Set a good example by abiding by speed regulations yourself.

Have You or a Loved One Been Injured as the Result of a Young Driver’s Social Media Use?

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a car accident as the result of a young driver’s cell phone use, we can help. Contact the experienced Jacksonville personal injury attorneys of The Pendas Law Firm today and we will help you recover the compensation you are entitled to.

The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Miami, Daytona, and Bradenton areas.

Resource:

news4jax.com/news/national/blindfolded-utah-teen-crashes-car-doing-the-bird-box-challenge

https://www.pendaslaw.com/how-to-avoid-a-road-rage-incident/