Blindfolded Teenager Crashes Car Doing 'Bird Box' Challenge

While actors Sandra Bullock and Travante Rhodes were able to drive blindfolded in the movie, Bird [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

While actors Sandra Bullock and Travante Rhodes were able to drive blindfolded in the movie, Bird Box, the same could not be said for a teenager in Utah who crashed her car into another after partaking in a challenge inspired by the Netflix original.

Bird Box is a work of fiction — meaning it's not really possible to drive blindfolded with your windows covered and only your GPS to guide you. However on Monday, Layton, Utah police responded to a crash near I-15 just before 5 p.m. local time, citing how a 17-year-old teenage girl, whose name has not been released, partook in the "Bird Box Challenge," crashing her car into another as she drifted into oncoming traffic.

With a hat pulled over her eyes as she was driving on Layton Parkway, the teenager hit a truck and a light pole, reports KSL, adding that no one was hurt.

"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 KSL.

The girl first told police she was on her cell phone at the time of the crash, but she later admitted in a follow-up interview that she was trying to do the "Bird Box Challenge."

The crash is under investigation, and police are asking the district attorney's office to file a reckless driving charge against the driver.

"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," Lyman told KSL. "It's just such serious business driving a car."

Netflix released Bird Box in December, and since then, there have been reports of teenagers trying to mimic the plot of the movie despite the obvious dangers of walking around blindfolded. In the film, the characters have to shield their eyes to avoid looking at dangerous creatures that make them commit suicide.

Netflix later warned viewers against doing the challenge.

"Can't believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE," the tweet read. "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."

On Jan. 3, the Colorado State Police released a video warning against exactly what the Utah teen did.

"Inevitably, somebody's going to do the monumentally stupid thing that is driving while blindfolded," the blindfolded Colorado State Patrol officer said in the clip. "We shouldn't have to say this, but we're gonna: Don't drive blindfolded."

Photo credit: KSL / Netflix

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