adminMelissa Mpofu/Bongani Ndlovu
A dangerous trend of people taking pictures and video-self portraits (selfies) while driving has gripped the world, with a number of motorists and celebrities proudly uploading themselves in action.
The alarming videos which have been inspired by technology are often captured by using at least one hand to open a camera app, frame the shot and press the shutter button. Some place the phone on the dashboard and programme the front camera to record. Though seemingly cool, the procedure is usually distracting as motorists focus more on the recording and less on the road.
On the selfie while driving pictures, it is not always clear if the vehicles were in motion or if the drivers waited until they were at a full and complete stop before capturing their very important moment.
A few group shots taken by passengers have captured the driver’s hands on the wheel, with his/her eyes somehow off the road. Not all photos or videos shot by drivers are of themselves. Some are of their passengers being goofy or of pretty scenery zipping past.
So far, the people captured snapping rolling self-portraits mostly appear to be young adults and teenagers with local musician, Jah Prayzah being the most recent. The Gochi Gochi hit-maker posted a video of himself and his son driving somewhere in Harare on a Sunday. The artiste captures himself singing along to one of his latest tracks, asking his son to tell people what they are up to. The video was uploaded on his Facebook page.
Some commended the musician for showing a lighter side of his life, praising his son for his musical prowess. Others expressed shock and disdain, accusing him of being reckless for shooting a selfie video while driving with his son who was not wearing a seat belt.
America’s Keeping up with the Kardashians socialite, Kendell Jenner, also has a similar video.
An unfortunate 32-year-old Courtney Sanford’s from America last year ran out of luck, moments after taking a selfie picture while driving. She was involved in a head-on collision on a US highway seconds after she posted the selfies on Facebook.
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe managing director Obio Chinyere said Jah Prayzah was skating on thin ice as his actions were dangerous and unbecoming of a role model.
“Jah Prayzah should be more responsible. He’s a role model and the youth might copy his dangerous behaviour. He’s being a danger to himself, his child and people on the road. Such things shouldn’t be encouraged,” said Chinyere.
Using a phone while behind the wheel, unless tethered to Bluetooth or another hands-free system, is illegal in many countries including Zimbabwe.
“The law in Zimbabwe states that it’s an offence for someone to use their cellphone when they’re driving. Usage means texting and answering the cellphone when they’re driving,” he said.
Chinyere called on people such as artistes, media and the general public to unite in campaigning against the new craze which has the potential of causing accidents.
The introduction of smart phones, selfie sticks and social media networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram has led to a new cultutre of people taking “selfies”. People capture themselves doing basically everything, with some going to the extent of taking nude pictures and videos of themselves which have in most case landed them in hot soup. Some have lost jobs and marriages as a result of the leaked videos and pictures.
Hashtags on social media networking sites have also been created in line with trending topics. The following driving-related hashtags are among the most common on Twitter and Instagram — accounting for thousands of posts this year alone: #Driving: 40 million+ posts, #Drivinghome: 80 thousand+ posts, #Drivingtowork: 16 thousand+ posts, #Drivingselfie: 21 thousand+ posts and #Drivingselfies: 5 thousand+ posts.
The phenomenon is alarming enough that Toyota has released a ‘Don’t Shoot and Drive’ advert aimed at Instagram-happy drivers.
The advert shows a photo of a totaled car edited with various Instagram filters. A recent survey conducted in America found that one in 10 drivers admit to taking a selfie while driving, with the biggest offenders being men.
A by-law to impound cell phones used by drivers on the road without a hands-free was introduced in Cape Town by their council in 2012 to try and discourage motorists from partaking in the selfie craze. Since then, about 3,000 mobile phones have been impounded annually.
CNN reports that more than 3,300 deaths every year are caused by distracted driving. Taking a photo, like checking a text message, might take only a few seconds, but when a vehicle is in motion that’s enough time to cause a serious accident, safety experts say.
Online Reporter