It is time to plan our family summer vacations and that means taking lots of selfies. While family vacations and selfies go hand in hand, danger can be just one selfie away. CNN just reported that 49 people have died while taking selfies since 2014. Many of those deaths occurred while the victims were posing for the selfie as they stood dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. Taking one step back to capture the perfect selfie can have tragic consequences.

Many of those deaths occurred while the victims were posing for the selfie as they stood dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. Taking one step back to capture the perfect selfie can have tragic consequences.

The National Parks recently warned visitors not to take selfies with bears or other wild animals. Why you ask? In August of 2015, the Waterton Canyon Park in Denver, Colorado was closed because visitors to the park were taking selfies within ten feet of wild beers.

In 2015, a 43 year old visitor to Yellowstone was gored while taking a selfie with a bison that was standing just six yards away. Two other visitors to the park were injured at Yellowstone last year while posing for selfies with bison. Although adorable, bison and bears are apparently unpredictable and territorial.

Waterton Canyon, a Denver park, was closed on Aug. 28 after more bears and their cubs began foraging the woods. After more than two weeks, the park still hasn’t re-opened, because too many people are trying to take selfies with the wild beasts.

Make safety a priority before you dust off your selfie stick and take off for your summer vacation. No selfie is worth serious bodily injury or death. Common sense and safety should always be a priority even while we experience the great outdoors with our loved ones this summer.