A SELFIE taken at Lydford Gorge has been shortlisted in a national competition designed to encourage people to take selfies safely.
Sarah Thomas, from Cornwall, said: ‘We were on a camping trip on Dartmoor, and went on a walk through Lydford Gorge. I don’t take many selfies usually but my youngest son kept asking me to take one that day, so that he could photobomb them — and for this one he got his brother and dad to join in too!’
National Accident Helpline’s #SelfieSafety competition asks people to send a selfie from their favourite UK selfie location, with the chance to win an iPhone.
Shortlisted entrants have been asked if they took any measures to make sure their selfie was taken safely.
Sarah said: ‘Because I know my son likes to photobomb my selfies, I have to make sure that the background area that he might run into is safe, as well as making sure that I am not on the edge of a ledge or about to trip over something.’
The #SelfieSafety competition is part of a national campaign urging selfie takers to take extra care to avoid common accidents. Research, released in connection with Accident Awareness Week, revealed that four in five Brits (82%) don’t always take care when taking selfies.
The research also highlighted the popularity of selfies in the UK. According to the study of 2,047 adults, carried out by Censuswide, over half of all snap-happy Brits (53%) have taken a selfie, while 36% of the population and two thirds (66%) of 16 to 24 year olds have taken a selfie in the past month.
Beth Powell, marketing director of National Accident Helpline, said: ‘We all want to capture great memories with a selfie, but we are urging selfie-takers, young and old, to look up from their devices and pay attention to the potential risks around them, before getting the perfect shot. This way, we can create great memories and stay safe.’
More findings from the research showed that one in nine Brits (11%) have witnessed others taking selfies in unsafe situations, and almost one fifth of Brits (19%) have dropped their phone on their face while lying down.
To find out more about National Accident Helpline’s #SelfieSafety competition, and to enter your photo, visit: www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk/accident-claims/accident-awareness-week#selfiesafety