These 11 habits to ban so as not to die stupidly

in collaboration with

Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director)

On May 18, a 29-year-old man died after falling from a Parisian roof in the 20th arrondissement. According to information reported by The Parisian, he was not clowning around and was not drunk, but he was trying to recover (in socks) his kitten which had escaped from the roofs. A noble, but thoughtless act, which brought him a fatal outcome. (The kitten would be doing well).

This man is far from the only one to have paid with his life for a dangerous decision. According to Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of Doctissimo, there are around ten stupid reasons to die… to know.

Climb your home via the balcony

When you forget your keys or like here to pick up your cat, “We do not climb the facade, the roof, we do not go through the neighbor’s balcony, even if the situation seems urgent to you… because we simply risk the defenestration“, reminds our expert. Instead, we call a locksmith or possibly the fire brigade to save an animal. Of course, it has a cost, but not that of your life.

Take a selfie in a dangerous place

Be careful if you want to take THE perfect shot. Lack of attention near traffic can be fatal. Just like not looking where you are stepping can cause you to tip over. (With a lot fewer “likes” to boot).

Smoking in bed

It may look glamorous in a movie, but smoking in bed is highly discouraged. “There is a real risk of fire, especially if you fall asleep. It can consume the mattress, therefore burn us, but also poison us and therefore kill us.”

Recharge your cell phone in the bath

Is your smartphone running out of battery? “You never charge your cell phone while taking a bath” calls back the emergency doctor. A charger cord plugged in or an extension cord because the bathtub is too far away is a life-threatening risk of being electrified. Tested by a famous singer.

Reply to a text message, or read your social networks, on the stairs

No, we don’t scroll down the stairs! Just like you don’t respond to a message. “The risk is falling, with a head trauma at the key and possibly death at the foot of the steps”. It can wait a few seconds right?

Lean over the balcony (or on a railing)

It’s a classic attitude, time to smoke a cigarette or chat. “But either the guardrail can give way (you are never sure of its solidity) or the center of gravity can make you fallso we don’t lean in.”

Transfer your household products into water bottles

We generally think of it for children, but the emergency doctor assures us, it is also a risk for adults. “We quickly stopped thinking about it, and put a bottle of water filled with caustic product to our lips.”

Eating too quickly, without chewing

Dying from a nugget is still unenviable. Yet it’s a common risk that Dr. Kierzek has seen often in his career. “By eating too quickly, by gobbling down our food, we run the risk of creating a Wrong Wayand to suffocate with respiratory arrest at the end. And the effect is the same with pastries, mille-feuille, etc. Brief, “we eat slowly and chew without doing several things at once, so we eat mindfully.”

Handle a light bulb without tripping

It’s stupid, but you have to think about it before changing a bulb, or handling an electrical wire, you always switch off the zone on your electrical panel, to avoid electrocution.

Wear a covering headset when you are in the street

“We are completely isolated from ambient noise and we simply risk an accident and being hit by a car” reminds our expert. Is the sound you’re listening to really worth it?

Running after a train (which leaves the platform)

Certainly the gesture can seem heroic, or romantic if it is to reach someone. But the risk is even greater. “This is typically the kind of situation where you risk slipping, and going under the train, with another risk of heart attack” concludes our expert.