Soft clog-style shoes and escalators can be dangerous
Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 11:15
A significant number of accidents involving young children whose toes have been caught in escalators are being reported in the US as well as in other countries. One thing common to all these accidents is soft clog-style shoes.
The shoes, known by the name of the most popular brand, Crocs, are very flexible and have great grip so they can easily get caught in the teeth at the bottom or top of the escalator resulting in serious injuries such as ripped nails or toes.
The Atlanta airport reported seven of these accidents at the airport since May 1, and five of them involved Crocs. The Washington subway system has posted adds warning riders about wearing those shoes on the stairways.
There have been no known cases in Montreal yet but parents should be careful and avoid escalators or teach young children to stand in the middle of the escalator, face the direction the stairs are moving, keep their feet away from the sides and step over the teeth at the end.
The shoes, known by the name of the most popular brand, Crocs, are very flexible and have great grip so they can easily get caught in the teeth at the bottom or top of the escalator resulting in serious injuries such as ripped nails or toes.
The Atlanta airport reported seven of these accidents at the airport since May 1, and five of them involved Crocs. The Washington subway system has posted adds warning riders about wearing those shoes on the stairways.
There have been no known cases in Montreal yet but parents should be careful and avoid escalators or teach young children to stand in the middle of the escalator, face the direction the stairs are moving, keep their feet away from the sides and step over the teeth at the end.