The Viral Video Putting Teens at Risk of Slip and Fall Injuries

While many slip and fall accidents occur due to hazardous conditions, a recent social media craze has teenagers deliberately putting themselves at risk of injury. Dubbed the Banana Peel Challenge, the viral trend involves participants testing just how slippery a banana skin really is.

It all began when Twitter user Jason Oakes tweeted a video of himself on March 27. The clip shows the teenager testing whether banana peels are actually as slippery as they are portrayed to be on cartoons and in slapstick comedy. He initially seems to maintain his balance. However, in the last few seconds of the video Oakes slips and falls to the kitchen floor with a drink in hand.

The clip has been liked 130,000 times and retweeted more than 120,000 times as of May 10. It has given rise to the viral hashtag #BananaPeelChallenge. Teens around the United States have posted videos of their attempts to recreate Oakes’ seemingly comical accident by purposely falling in a variety of ways.

Although on the surface the Banana Peel Challenge may seem like harmless fun, it highlights the dangers of slip and fall accidents. If teenagers are not careful, they could end up in emergency rooms with serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury and other lifelong disabilities. Social media trends tend to change very quickly. However, in the meantime both kids and parents alike would benefit from being aware of the dangers of slip and fall accidents.

“Banana peels . . . can cause increased morbidity and even mortality in some cases through concussions, head trauma, fractures and potential long-term disability,” said Dr. Bridget Dowd of New York Presbyterian Hospital. “In the ER, we see kids every day that make poor decisions leading to serious injuries.”

It is important to note that determining fault can be more complicated than it might seem. If you were injured and you believe someone else is fully or partially to blame, contact Chalik & Chalik to learn more about your rights.