This year so far, more people have died while taking a selfie than they have due to shark attacks. That’s 12 for the former and eight for the latter.

While it may be encouraging news for surfers and deep sea divers, it bodes less well for the general population.

Over 300 million of Instagram’s total uploads have currently been tagged as #selfie, while a recent survey revealed that on average we spend five hours a week snapping ourselves.

Some selfie deaths of course occur in extreme circumstances, but others are apparently down to simple neglect.

In January, three young men were killed by a speeding train in India after posing on the tracks, while an Australian student is thought to have fallen to her death earlier this month while attempting to take a selfie on the edge of Norway’s Trolltunga rock, 700 metres above Lake Ringedalsvatnet.

Selfie deaths are now more common than shark attacks