A study analyzing the most dangerous destinations to take selfies reminds travelers to prioritize safety over the perfect shot.
The Barber Law Firm — personal injury litigators based in Texas — conducted the study. According to The New York Post, the firm found that 42.1% of selfie-related injuries or deaths were reported in India between March 2014 and May 2025. Being the most dangerous destination to take a selfie in the world, India allegedly had 271 “selfie-induced” harmful incidents. Of that figure, 214 were deaths and 57 were injuries.
Other deadly selfie spots span the globe. The United States ranked second, and Russia was the third most dangerous destination to take a selfie. Within the more than decade-long period analyzed, the U.S. reportedly had only 45 selfie-related harmful incidents in total. Of them, 37 were fatal and eight resulted in injuries. Meanwhile, Russia allegedly had 18 deaths and one injured person due to snapping selfies, resulting in 19 incidents within that timeframe overall.
Pakistan and Australia rounded out the top 5, with 16 and 15 selfie-related harmful incidents within the timeframe, respectively. Indonesia (14), Kenya (13), the United Kingdom (13), Spain (13), and Brazil (13) consecutively made up the rest of the Top 10.
What Else Is There To Know About The Most Dangerous Destinations To Take Selfies?
To obtain its results, the firm analyzed headlines from Google News between March 2014 and May 2025 regarding instances when attempting to take a selfie ended fatally or resulted in injury.
The study found that falls from elevated places accounted for 46% of selfie-related deaths and injuries.
“Our research highlights a troubling trend where the pursuit of social media validation is literally costing lives. The perfect photo simply isn’t worth the danger,” said Kris Barber, founder and principal attorney at The Barber Law Firm. “What’s particularly concerning is that most of these tragedies could have been avoided by taking a few steps back or finding a safer vantage point.”
“There are always safer alternatives to capture beautiful moments without putting yourself at risk. No amount of likes or shares can justify endangering your life,” he added.
