AUSTIN, Texas. It’s known as the “In My Feelings” challenge. People have been posting videos of themselves dancing to Drake’s new song. This, in itself, can be a fun way to connect with friends, family, and strangers but when individuals involve their motor vehicles in their dance moves, the videos can turn deadly. People are posting videos of themselves jumping out of moving vehicles to dance on highways and streets. According to CBS Local, the National Transportation Safety Board considers this “challenge” yet another instance of distracted driving.
Dancing in the middle of the street is not safe in itself, but jumping out of a moving vehicle is incredibly hazardous. In some cases, drivers have been behind the wheel while filming their passengers as they jump out of vehicles to dance in the street. In some videos, drivers themselves jump out of their moving vehicles to perform the challenge. It should go without saying, but it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt or dies doing this. Even worse is the risk that someone who jumps out of their car will lose control of their vehicle entirely, resulting in driverless vehicles moving along the street—and we’re not talking about the Google driverless kind here.
Already some people have gotten hurt. Other videos show people almost getting run over by other oncoming moving cars.
In some videos, you can see people leaving moving vehicles, only to find themselves almost hit by car doors or falling in awkward ways that can put them at risk of being run over by their own vehicles.
The challenge has raised so many concerns that both local police departments and the NTSB have issued warnings about doing it. Already, in Abu Dhabi, some people have been arrested for taking part in the challenge. In Spain, police announced that people caught doing the challenge could face criminal charges. The U.S. has yet to follow suit, but if more people get hurt, pressure may build.
Cars running or moving without drivers can lead to serious injuries or death. A father writing in the New York Times recently wrote a heartbreaking piece about how his son was crushed while trying to stop his car from hitting a wall. The car had been accidentally left in neutral and rolled down a hill.
Cars are deadly enough, even when we think we are paying full attention. When people act carelessly or foolishly around them, accidents can happen. There is simply no excuse for hurting another person while trying to get a video of yourself dancing. It’s not worth it.
The Robson Law Firm are personal injury lawyers in Austin, Texas who hope that people in the coming weeks use common sense and avoid performing this challenge while driving. However, if you or a loved one gets hurt due to another person’s careless actions on the road, contact us at https://robsonlawfirm.com/. We can help you fight for justice. This is one trend we just don’t want to see go viral.
Robson Law Firm
1114 Lost Creek Boulevard
Suite 440
Austin, TX 78746
Phone: (512) 345-8200
You can read more accident articles here