There were dozens of injuries and fatalities this year as people took extreme risks in search of the edgiest shot. Be careful out there 
 
 If 2013 and 2014 were the years when the selfie craze took hold, then 2015 was when we discovered how dangerous they are. 
 
 In January, three Indian college students were killed by a train when they stopped on the road to Agra and tried to take a photograph of themselves in front of it. A fourth friend survived to tell the tale. In the same month, two men in the Ural mountains died while taking a selfie with a hand grenade – after they had removed the pin. In March, seven young men drowned in Nagpur, India, after capsizing a boat while posing on one side. 
 
 In May, Eri Yunanto was killed when he fell into a crater up Mount Merapi in Java, Indonesia; in Bali a Singaporean tourist, Mohamed Aslam Shahul, was killed when he was swept off a cliff by a wave. In Romania, 18-year-old Anna Ursu was killed while climbing on top of a train for a picture. In Ryazan, Russia – still in May – another teen died doing the same thing. 
 
 Facebook Twitter Pinterest A woman perches on a window ledge in Tokyo to take a selfie. Photograph: Petri Artturi Asikainen/Getty Images 
 
 In August it was David González Lopez, 32, killed photographing himself during the bull run in Villaseca de la Sagra, Spain. In September, a teenaged Russian urban climbing enthusiast fell from the roof of a nine-storey building. 
 
 Three people in Yellowstone national park in the US were gored by bison while taking selfies too close to them. At least two Americans were taken to hospital after being bitten by rattlesnakes. Then there are the many, many people who accidentally shot themselves while posing with loaded guns. 
 
 In the past, Darwin awards have been declared for deaths like these, attributing the victim’s death to their foolishness, but really, it seems fair to put most down to youthful misadventure – egged on by the promise of a souvenir photograph and an online audience. 
 
 In Russia, selfie deaths are now becoming a matter of national concern. “Since the beginning of the year, we are talking about some hundred cases of injuries for sure,” said Yelena Alexeyeva, an aide to the interior minister – and she was speaking in July. 
 
 As a result, the interior ministry launched a public safety campaign, warning people not to pose in dangerous places, and to keep their wits about them. Perhaps some day, ideally soon, the “safe selfie” lesson will be a fact of life in the world’s schools. 
 
 • This article was amended on 30 January 2015 to remove a reference to Kristi Kafcaloudis, who fell from the Trolltunga rock in Norway. Although initial reports suggested she was taking a selfie at the time, her family subsequently said she was trying to get past other people posing for photographs. ||||| A 66-year-old Japanese tourist has died, and his travel companion has been injured, after falling down stairs while attempting to take a selfie at the Taj Mahal. 
 
 The man's death raises the selfie-related death toll this year — to 12. To put that in perspective, in 2015 there have so far been eight deaths caused by shark attacks. 
 
 Image: Donte Neal, Mashable 
 
 It sounds like a joke, but unfortunately it isn't: The deaths are a tragic reminder to travelers that focusing on a phone screen instead of unfamiliar surroundings is not safe. 
 
 Four of the selfie deaths this year, like the tourist, identified as Hideto Ueda, were caused by falling. 
 
 The next leading cause of deaths involving selfies was being hit or injured by trains, either because the individual was taking trying to get a photo with a train or because the photo they wanted involved getting on dangerous equipment. 
 
 It's not clear if the number of daredevil selfies is increasing, but more and more tourists are making headlines because of their dangerous attempts at a memorable photo. Parks have closed because visitors keep trying to take selfies with bears, bull runs — an already dangerous activity — have had to expressly outlaw selfie-taking, and even Tour de France cyclists are concerned about selfie danger. 
 
 With no idea how far some people will go for a great selfie, many landmarks have begun banning selfies — or at least selfie sticks. As Conde Nast Traveler pointed out in their article on selfies vs. sharks, in July the Russian Interior Ministry released a brochure, warning about cool selfies that "could cost you your life." Selfie-takers are urged to take precaution with weapons, ledges, dangerous animals, trains and live wires. 
 
 "Before taking a selfie, everyone should think about the fact that racing after a high number of 'likes' could lead him on a journey to death and his last extreme photo could turn out to be posthumous," an aide to Russia's interior minister told Al Jazeera. ||||| Image copyright AFP Image caption Selfie warnings will be put in Mumbai's iconic Marine Drive promenade 
 
 Police in the Indian city of Mumbai have identified 15 places where taking selfies "can be dangerous". 
 
 The places include the iconic sea-facing Marine Drive promenade and the popular Girgaum Chowpatty beach, both major tourist attractions. 
 
 The decision was taken after an 18-year-old girl drowned in the sea while taking a selfie last week. 
 
 Last year, authorities imposed a "no selfie zone" at a Hindu festival due to fears they could cause stampedes. 
 
 Signs saying "no selfie zone" can be seen around the two festival sites in the city, which is the capital of Maharashtra state. 
 
 Mumbai police spokesperson Dhananjay Kulkarni told the BBC that the places where taking selfies was risky included Bandra Bandstand, Sion Fort and Worli Fort, all places popular with tourists. 
 
 "The police will now approach the city's municipality to prevent accidents at such spots due to people taking selfies. The municipality may deploy life guards and install warning signs," Mr Kulkarni said. 
 
 The police warning follows Saturday's incident when three girls trying to take a selfie near the sea in the Bandra area fell into the water. 
 
 One of them drowned and her body is yet to be recovered. 
 
 A passerby, 37-year-old Ramesh Walanju, jumped in and helped save the other two girls but was washed away by the choppy waters and his body was found floating in a nearby creek on Monday, AFP said. 
 
 Image copyright AFP Image caption Most of the selfie warnings will come up at the city's tourist attractions 
 
 In September a Japanese tourist died after allegedly slipping down the stairs while taking a selfie at the Taj Mahal monument in Agra. 
 
 Last year, the Russian government reportedly launched a campaign to make young people think twice before snapping selfies in risky situations. 
 
 In May, a 21-year-old woman survived accidentally shooting herself in the head while posing for a selfie with a gun in Moscow. There have also been several cases of children being electrocuted while taking selfies on top of railway carriages in Russia. 
 
 In August, a man in Spain was gored to death by a bull while taking a selfie at the annual bull running festival in the town of Villaseca de la Sagra. ||||| Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The tourist had slipped while taking a selfie at the royal gate near the monument 
 
 A Japanese tourist has died after allegedly slipping down the stairs at India's Taj Mahal monument. 
 
 Eyewitness Sagar Singh told BBC Hindi that the tourist fell while taking a selfie at the Taj Mahal's Royal Gate. 
 
 Police said he lost consciousness immediately after the fall and succumbed to head injuries in hospital. 
 
 The Taj Mahal, a 17th Century mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after his wife's death, attracts about 12,000 visitors a day. 
 
 Agra tourist police officer Sushant Gaur told BBC Hindi that the Japanese tourist had been with three other people when the incident occurred. 
 
 One of his colleagues fractured his leg, after both fell from the staircase of the monument in the afternoon, police said. 
 
 The Japanese embassy has been informed about the death, and an investigation is being conducted into the incident. 
 
 There have been several deaths linked to selfies in recent years. 
 
 Earlier this year, the Russian government reportedly launched a campaign to make young people think twice before snapping selfies in risky situations. 
 
 In May, a 21-year-old woman survived accidentally shooting herself in the head while posing for a selfie with a gun in Moscow. There have also been several cases of children being electrocuted while taking selfies on top of railway carriages in Russia. 
 
 In August, a man in Spain was gored to death by a bull while taking a selfie at the annual bull running festival in the town of Villaseca de la Sagra. ||||| As an increasing number of people die due to selfie-related accidents, researchers are calling for “no-selfie zones” at tourist locations across the globe to prevent people from partaking in risky behavior for the sake of the perfect photo. 
 
 According to a new study in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, at least 259 people died from October 2011 to November 2017 while snapping selfies, with the highest number occurring amongst 20 to 29-year-olds — with 72.5 percent being male. 
 
 BURGER KING CUSTOMER CLAIMS WHOPPER CONTAINED DEAD COCKROACH: 'I HEAVED A LITTLE BIT' 
 
 The researchers note, “Selfies are themselves not harmful, but the human behavior that accompanies selfies is dangerous. Individuals need to be educated regarding certain risky behaviors and risky places where selfies should not be taken.” 
 
 In one such example of this risky behavior, a man’s attempt at a selfie in Maryland above the swollen Potomac River nearly turned deadly Sunday when he slipped into the raging waters and had to be rescued by bystanders. 
 
 Earlier this year, a 20-year-old student from India fell to his death while taking photos at a popular ocean cliff tourist attraction in Australia. The young man was posing for selfies when he slipped off the 131-foot precipice and was swept out to sea. 
 
 In England, tourists have been seen on numerous occasions posing atop a dangerous chalk cliff edge 200 feet above jagged rocks at Seaford Head in East Sussex. 
 
 For years there have been calls to install security fences at the top of the cliff to prevent people falling off the sheer drop. 
 
 FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS 
 
 Incidents such as these are why researchers deem it necessary to take action. 
 
 “’No-selfie zones’ should be declared across tourist areas especially places such as water bodies, mountain peaks, and over tall buildings to decrease the incidence of selfie-related deaths,” the study concludes. 
 
 Fox News’ Travis Fedschun and Janine Puhak contributed to this report. ||||| A young woman from Moscow has been critically wounded after trying to take a selfie with a pistol pressed against her temple. It’s only the latest in a series of fatal and near-fatal selfies. 
 
 The 21-year-old employee was at her office, when she took a 9-millimeter rubber-bulletpistol and decided to take a selfie. However, she accidentally pressed the trigger, Interfax reported. 
 
 “Veronika asked the guard to give her the weapon to take a photo, and he didn’t refuse. She took the pistol and started making the selfie, and shot herself in the head by accident,” one of the witnesses told LifeNews. 
 
 After the incident, the guard said that the woman pressed the trigger and the bullet ricocheted off a wall into her head. 
 
 An ambulance was called to the scene, and the victim was taken to the hospital. Medics describe her state as critical, and she is currently in intensive care. 
 
 READ MORE: Selfie sticks banned at British National Gallery, Palace of Versailles 
 
 The owner of the gun is now facing up to six months behind bars for negligent weapon possession leading to injury, RIA Novosti news agency reported. 
 
 “The letter of the law states that firearms, with the owner absent, should be kept in a special safe, beyond the reach of those not authorized to use it,” a source told the agency. 
 
 The string of bizarre incidents involving selfies includes people doing more and more outlandish things so that their photos stand out from the crowd. 
 
 On Saturday, a Singaporean man died in Bali after falling off a cliff while taking a selfie. Mohammed Aslam Shahul, 21, lost his balance and fell into the sea off a cliff while on vacation with his friends. 
 
 “He slipped and fell into the ocean. He apparently couldn’t swim,” local police said. The man’s body was discovered in the sea at a depth of five meters. 
 
 READ MORE: Shenzhen birdmen: Two daredevils, one mega-tall tower and a selfie stick (VIDEO) 
 
 Just over a week ago, a teenager was killed in the northeastern Romanian town of Iasi when she was trying to take the “ultimate selfie” on top of a train. Anna Ursu, 18, was posing for the selfie with a friend, when her leg reportedly touched a live wire above, and 27,000 volts were sent through her body. 
 
 A passer-by had previously warned the two about the possible consequences. He heard a loud bang as the young woman was electrocuted and rushed over to try to help, but couldn’t put out the flames, and called an ambulance. The doctors couldn’t save Ursu’s life. 
 
 Ursu’s friend was instantly thrown off the train, and later told police she and her friend were trying to take the “ultimate selfie.” ||||| While it is a cool thing to click selfies while hanging out with your buddies, it seems like we Indians are terrible at it, at least when it comes to the safety aspect. 
 
 AFP/ Representative Image 
 
 According to the Washington Post in 2015, some 27 cases of deaths were reported from across the world while trying to take selfies. Out of the 27 more than half were reported from India. 
 
 In 2015, Indians taking selfies died while posing in front of an oncoming train, in a boat that tipped over at a picnic, on a cliff that gave way and crumbled into a 60-foot ravine and on the slippery edge of a scenic river canal. Also, in September, a Japanese tourist trying to take a selfie fell down steps at the Taj Mahal, suffering fatal head injuries. 
 
 thinkstockphotos/ Representative Image 
 
 Following the drowning of two people last week, while clicking selfies, Mumbai police had this week identified 15 “no-selfie zones”in the city. 
 
 While majority of the selfie-mishaps are caused by carelessness, the craze for a 'cool selfie' like the one below could also put you in a spot of trouble. 
 
 And remember... don't try this at home! 
 
 Facebook 
 
 Don't Miss 25.9 K SHARES 22 K SHARES 25 K SHARES 16.6 K SHARES 16.4 K SHARES 6.9 K SHARES 5.4 K SHARES 4.9 K SHARES
– The Washington Post takes a deep dive into the field of selfie research, and it's come up with a disturbing number: The paper says 27 people died while taking selfies in 2015, and in some countries, it's become a major headache. Nearly half of those deaths occurred in India, which has started imposing "no-selfie zones" in places where the activity "can be dangerous," the BBC reports. Russia's not far behind, with the Guardian noting it's become a "matter of national concern" there. "Since the beginning of [2015], we are talking about some hundred cases of injuries for sure," a Russian interior minister aide said last year. And the UK's Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in November warned locals not to take "storm selfies" during some particularly bad weather, Sky News reports. Some of the more bizarre or notable selfie cases last year: A Japanese tourist suffered fatal head injuries after tumbling down the steps of the Taj Mahal. A man was gored to death in Spain taking a photo during his run with the bulls. A Russian teen plummeted from a nine-story building while trying to bulk up his compilation of pics taken in dangerous places. (By mid-September, more people had died by selfie than shark in 2015.)