30 Dangerous Stairs That Make You Question The Sanity Of All That Try Them

We're big fans of the Death Stairs group here at Bored Panda, so it's not the first time we've featured them. But we wanted to find out what the community has been up to over the past couple of years, so we reached out to the group's creator, Lane Sutterby.

"The Death Stairs group membership has grown exponentially since last we spoke," he shared. "We’re sitting at 950k now, and I can’t wait to crest a million. Truly wild to me. We’ve made no major rule changes, but we did have to start forbidding AI images - we only want death stairs that exist in real life!"

"We really haven’t seen any crazy new trends, mainly what it’s always been; ridiculous AirBnB loft stairs, sketchy hotel or bar staircases, scary sets out in nature, etcetera," Lane continued. "And somehow we continue to find new images of these things from all over the world, not sure there will ever be an end!"

We also wanted to know if the creator has come across any new favorite death stairs recently. "I particularly enjoy the staircases that have two or more upper sets that converge on a single lower set in new and creative ways," Lane noted. "Always makes one have to stop and wonder what was going through the head of whoever built them…"

The creator also has some wise words for anyone who encounters death stairs in the wild: "My advice for surviving death stairs is the same as it has been - just be slow and careful, pay attention and stay calm, it’s just stairs! You can do it."

Finally, Lane wanted to give a huge thank you to his admin and mod team. "Somehow, just four people have been able to help me keep this group running like a fine Swiss watch, and I owe them everything."

We were also lucky enough to get in touch with one of the group's administrators, Duffy Toler, to hear more about how the group has been doing over the past couple of years.

"We got a large influx of people from Pittsburgh - apparently the place has a lot of dangerous stairs from the coal mining days," he shared with Bored Panda. "In the winter, we get a bunch of dangerous stairs covered in snow."

Duffy also shared some clever advice for encountering death stairs. "My advice for surviving some of the very steep ones is: don't be embarrassed to go down them backwards," he noted. "They are easier to negotiate when they are so steep they are almost ladders."

Many of us walk up and down stairs every single day without a second thought. Unless you have a disability that prevents you from taking the stairs, it’s pretty much impossible to avoid them. And experts actually recommend that we all climb between three and six flights of stairs per day to keep our hearts healthy.  

But I have to admit, when it’s a little too dark in my building’s stairwell or there’s a small amount of ice on the ground, I suddenly become terrified of the same walk I’ve done every day for years. I am acutely aware of the fact that one wrong move could leave me with a broken arm, a sprained ankle or, at the very least, a massively bruised ego.

Just like driving a car, walking up and down the stairs is something most of us do every day that’s much more dangerous than we often realize. According to a 2023 study, the age groups most likely to fall down the stairs are children under 3 and adults over 85. But what you might not expect is that young adults in their twenties are the next group that’s most likely to take a tumble down a staircase.

According to the study, there are certain risk factors that can make individuals more likely to trip down the stairs, including their choice in footwear, whether or not they use the handrail, how closely they watch their feet, using electronic devices while walking, skipping steps, putting their hands in their pockets, chatting while walking and carrying objects. 

The researchers found that over two thirds of participants were guilty of two or more risky behaviors when going up or down stairs. And when it comes to women, a whopping 80% could make safer decisions when climbing stairs. 

It’s surprisingly easy to injure yourself when going up or down stairs. In fact, the National Safety Council reports that more than a million injuries occur each year in the United States due to falls down stairs. This is also the second most common way to get hurt, behind only motor vehicle accidents. And sadly, 12,000 people lose their lives due to stairway accidents every year. 

When it comes to what makes a certain stairwell or stairway more dangerous than others, there are several factors. Poor lighting is a significant one, as it can make it tricky to see how many stairs are left or how far down the next one is. Leaving objects on the stairs is also a problem, as are missing or damaged steps. When steps are slippery, they can be hazardous. And not having access to handrails can lead to injuries.  

So what can we do to make our stairways safer? Well, AARP recommends adding some traction. Even if the stairs are inside, safe from ice and snow, wooden stairs can be incredibly slippery for socked feet. It’s also a good idea to make sure the stairs are adequately lit and have visual cues that make it clear where each stair stops and starts. The height and depth of each stair should be consistent with the last, so people passing through know what to expect, and always have a helpful handrail available on the side.

Are you getting freaked out by the photos on this list, pandas? We don’t mean to scare you, but remember that stairs can be deceptively dangerous and proceed with caution. Be sure to upvote the pics you find most shocking, and let us know in the comments below if you’ve ever encountered death stairs in the wild. Then, you can check out another Bored Panda article featuring dangerous flights of stairs right here!

The world can sometimes surprise us with unexpected dangers, and staircases are no exception. Similar to how embracing alternative methods of connection, like the innovative use of windows, can provide surprising solutions during challenging times, understanding stair safety can help mitigate risks.

For those interested in novel ways people interact safely, you might want to see how creativity flourished when families found unique ways to stay connected.

You might also like: 50 People Who Tried To Be Creative With Their Homes And Failed (New Pics)