Although social media platforms are abundant with built-in conveniences such as ease of communication and speed of location services, most users overlook a deep well of risk involved with using them in the wrong context. The dangers of cell phone applications share an equal gauge of magnitude and importance with the bright side of mobile technology.

Take Christal McGee for example, an 18-year-old from Georgia who was recently hospitalized after crashing her Mercedes-Benz into another moving vehicle at over 100 mph while using Snapchat. Reports say McGee was using the app's "speed filter," which awards users who take and share photos at higher speeds.

The accident caused critical injury to both McGee and the man driving the other car, who was hospitalized for five weeks following the crash. He has suffered "permanent brain damage" and blames McGee for using Snapchat to distract herself from the road, according to according to USA Today. In addition, he has filed a lawsuit and claims with his lawyer that she has continued posting photos of herself on Snapchat from the hospital, refusing to speak out against either the application or its speed filter.

With government statistics showing that 38 percent of drivers who cause fatal car accidents are in their 20s, it's no wonder we hear warnings all the time about texting and driving. Although people of all generations would like to stay on the up-and-up about the concerns of mobile technology, stories such as McGee's demonstrate on a regular basis that young people are not only communicating behind the wheel inappropriately, but they are increasing the odds that they will cause serious damage to bodies or lives. The affects are similar to those of driving under the influence of alcohol

Snapchat made a brief comment following the incident, citing their warning to users to "NOT Snap and drive." The message only appears the first time users open the app and is easy to skip over. Plus, the application practically does nothing to reduce access to the speed filter at any speed or under any circumstance.

As the millennial generation who is beginning to raise children, work for causes, and steer society on the whole, this type of story is worth storing in the back of our heads; After all, anyone could be injured behind the wheel. Despite constant warnings and public service announcements, we rarely seem to realize the importance of heeding such advice. Hearing a great recovery story is inspiring, but it's not worth injuring yourself or someone else over.