With technology constantly evolving around us, it's easy to see how our world has become overrun with distractions. These days when you read the news, it's common to come across stories about people who have died either texting while driving or taking a selfie moments before some kind of accident occurs.

Judging by the current generation — and taking past generations into account — it seems the deadly distraction of handheld technology is becoming more and more of a problem.

According to the Department of Transportation, 6,000 lives are lost each year by car crashes that involve the use of cellphones. In fact, just last April a woman in North Carolina was killed in a head-on collision that happened moments after she updated her Facebook status. She had reportedly been taking selfies and posting them to her account prior to the fatal wreck.

For those who somehow might not know what a selfie is, the term recently made its way into world dictionaries after going viral in 2013. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as "a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website."

But lately, the selfie has become more about the background rather than the picture of the actual person. As a result, more and more people are engaging in riskier behavior with the intent to outdo others by capturing the most unique shot. It's a trend that's become especially common among tourists.

Now, while there are no statistics specifically on the number of people who have died as a result of taking selfies, there is instead an alarming number of reported incidents that have taken place within the last year. Throughout the world, stories have surfaced about tourists dying while trying to pose for selfies in questionable places.

In June 2014, for example, a high school girl visiting Italy, and presumably standing too close to the edge of a cliff, fell 60 feet onto the jagged rocks below. Then in August, a married couple visiting a popular tourist destination in Portugal fell 260 feet from the cliff after crossing the safety barrier to take a picture. More recently in November, a Polish woman slipped from an iconic bridge in Spain while trying to snap a selfie on the ledge.

In fact, taking dangerous selfies has gotten so out of control that the U.S. Forest Service had to issue a warning last fall urging people to stop taking selfies with bears.

So now two questions remain: Why do people take such risks to snap the "perfect selfie" rather than simply asking someone else to take the picture for them? And why do people text and drive despite the repeated warnings issued by the media and law enforcement?

Based on my own research, there appears to be three main reasons why people like taking selfies and sharing them:

1. Validation

When a picture is posted onto Instagram, Facebook or other social media outlet, users can "like" or comment on it. The better the photo, the more attention it gets, and the photos with unique backgrounds tend to get the most likes.

That sort of validation can become rather addicting, and some people will find themselves going the extra mile with each picture they take in order to outdo the previous one or even someone else's.

2. Control

Another reason people prefer to take selfies instead of getting someone else to take the picture is because of the control it gives them. They are able to position the camera at whatever angle they like and retake the picture as many times as they like.

If the phone is equipped with a front-facing camera, they also have the power to see the photo while they are taking it — something they would have no control over if someone else was snapping the shot.

3. Adrenaline rush

As for those taking selfies on top of a building, train tracks or other sort of dangerous location, and who are well-aware of the risk they're taking, this gives them an adrenaline rush.

However, this isn't always the reason why people choose to take the risky shot. Others are more focused on capturing the picture and don't fully realize the danger in which they are putting themselves.

Now as for texting and driving, many people fall for the illusion that they can handle doing both without any repercussions. However, multiple studies show that isn't necessarily the case.

A further explanation by Matt Richtel, a New York Times journalist and author of the book "A Deadly Wandering," suggests the addictive effect of digital devices plays a major role in the decision to text and drive despite knowing the possible consequences.

"When we interact with our devices, we get a rush of dopamine, one of the brain's pleasure chemicals," Richtel states. "We get so used to these little bursts of dopamine, that in their absence, we become bored."

So how should we put a stop to this deadly trend instead of allowing it to follow us into 2015? The answer is simple. We need to become more aware of our surroundings and really take the time to think about whether or not the next selfie we take or text we send while driving is really worth dying for.

Let 2015 be the year we put an end to this trend.