People took pictures during the accident: 'It is an immediate rising trend'

Rigspolitiet is experiencing an increasing number of cases where Danish citizens stop and take pictures or videos during accidents. This needs to stop, according to the authorities.

In the last week, DR's host and international correspondent Stéphanie Surrugue was involved in a severe car accident, where her car landed on its roof after colliding with another vehicle. While this was happening, several people stopped and took pictures, which later appeared in a series of now-expired Instagram stories.

- I can only say stop: Stop it. Be careful - or, at least, keep your phone in your pocket, she wrote among other things.

In connection with a segment on the topic, Aftenshowet contacted Stéphanie Surrugue, who reports that she is okay but also about the discomfort of having people take pictures of the scene.

However, this is a common problem, according to police assistant at Rigspolitiet Christian Berthelsen.

- It's an immediate rising trend that we're noticing more and more that people really want to take pictures of other people who are, in fact, in a crisis. They're not aware of whether they're dead or what they're taking pictures of. They can also obstruct rescue work, and they can also block traffic in general, he says.

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Lost her son among onlookers and photographers

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Christian Berthelsen explains that the photographers are also often just spectators at accidents, as they were at a theater performance. A woman who knows all too well how it feels to have pictures taken and be observed during her life tragedy is Claire Muus.

In 2018, her two-year-old son Damian was involved in a tragic accident near a gas station on Zealand. He was hit by a windshield wiper in the neck and choked. Despite heart massage, his life could not be saved.

- It was only when Damian was pronounced dead at Rigshospitalet, and we were on our way home in the car, that it really hit me that there were more who had been standing and looking - and some who also had their phones and selfie cameras, explains a tearful Claire in Aftenshowet.

- I got angry, and I couldn't understand what people got out of it. I felt a little like we had been put on display, she continues, who in the aftermath could not feel safe when she was among strangers.

Listen to crisis psychologist Robert Jonasen's explanation of why some people stop and take pictures during accidents:

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First, it's illegal with sharing without consent

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According to Rigspolitiet's Christian Berthelsen, those who have taken pictures while driving by in a car are being charged with violating the traffic law by using a handheld mobile phone.

- But it's not illegal to take pictures in public spaces. Yes, when you're driving in traffic and using your mobile phone. The illegality arises when you start putting it online or on social media without consent, Berthelsen explains, adding that in serious cases it can lead to a year in prison.

Berthelsen emphasizes that the police always want to hear from witnesses who have observed an accident, but one should not stop as a spectator without reason.

- In essence, if you're a witness to an accident, check to see if there's something you can help with. If not, you have no reason to be there, he says.

Claire Muus knows that people are not necessarily stopped for malicious reasons, but she had a wish after the fatal accident.

- I would have wished they were still there. Help was present, and they could have seen it.

Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.