People out here risking their lives for TikTok likes…what a stupid world we live in.
Every few months it seems like a new viral trend pops up that has people risking their lives for some imaginary internet points on social media. From the Tide Pod challenge to the disgusting NyQuil chicken thing a while back, people will do anything to impress strangers on the internet for some reason.
And the latest trend has already claimed the lives of four people in Alabama so far.
The newest challenge going around on TikTok involves jumping off a boat going at a high rate of speed. And officials are warning that it could be deadly.
Talking to WBMA, Captain Jim Dennis of the Childersburg Rescue Squad says that they’ve had four drownings related to the TikTok trend already in the last six months:
“Last six months we have had four drownings that were easily avoidable. They were doing a TikTok challenge. It’s where you get in a boat going at a high rate of speed, you jump off the side of the boat, don’t dive, you’re jumping off feet first and you just kinda lean into the water.”
When jumping into water at that speed, boaters are breaking their necks as they hit the water. And Dennis said one incident was caught on camera by a young mother of three who filmed her husband jumping to his death:
“Unfortunately, she recorded his death.”
And one boater, Larry King, compares the trend to jumping onto the hard ground:
“When you hit the water, it’s almost like hitting concrete at that speed. So, nothing good is going to come from hitting water at that speed.”
Yeah, that’s not worth the likes you’re going to get on TikTok.
Be safe out there this summer.
@markthompson295 Last day of lake life jumping into the surf. #boat #bubblejump #mbboats ♬ Island In The Sun – Weezer
