Police say that a Utah teenager who crashed earlier this week was participating in a viral challenge that involves driving while blindfolded.
The crash happened around 5 p.m. on Monday, January 7, on Layton Parkway in Layton, Utah when an unidentified 17 year old female crashed her pickup truck into a car and then a light pole.
No one was seriously hurt in the crash, but the reason that the crash occurred in the first place has raised a few eyebrows.
In a tweet, the Layton Police Department summed up the crash in just seven words: “Bird Box Challenge while driving…predictable result.”
“Apparently, as a part of this ‘Bird Box Challenge,’ (the driver) used her beanie to pull over her eyes as she was driving on Layton Parkway, and she ended up losing control of her car and skidded into the westbound lanes of Layton Parkway and hit another car and ended up hitting a light pole as well,” Layton Police Lt. Travis Lyman told local news station KSL.
The ‘Bird Box Challenge’ refers to a popular movie starring Sandra Bullock that was released on Netflix. In the movie, characters must wear a blindfold to avoid looking at creatures that cause death when they are viewed. The movie led to countless memes and then the viral challenge during which users perform tasks while blindfolded.
Netflix has issued a statement pleading with the public to avoid hurting themselves with the ‘Bird Box Challenge’.
Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.
— Netflix US (@netflix) January 2, 2019
Lyman also warned drivers not to try the ‘Bird Box Challenge’ for themselves: “With driving, the stakes are so high anyway that it’s just inexcusable to do something as dangerous as this, not only to yourself but everyone else on the road. It’s just such serious business driving a car.”
Police say that they are pursuing a reckless driving charge against the 17 year old driver.