Lawsuit Blames Snapchat Speed Filter and Distracted Teen Driver for Crash

An 18 year old driver admitted to trying to get her Mercedes Benz up to 100 mph in order to post a photo using Snapchat’s speed filter. When the driver crashed into another car outside of Atlanta, Georgia she was going about 107 mph, almost double the speed limit.

The driver in the second car in the crash is left with permanent brain damage. In his claims for injuries and medical bills the victim alleged that the teenager was too busy taking selfies to pay attention to driving. The victim has sued the teenage driver and Snapchat, and claimed that the driver used Snapchat’s speed filter at the time of the crash, and that Snapchat is also to blame for the crash.

The filter adds the user’s speed to the photo, and Snapchat awards them a “trophy” for posting how fast they are going.

Snapchat has claimed that it discourages people from using its speed filter while driving, with an in-app warning.

An AT&T study from last year states that four in ten smartphone users interact with social media while driving.