When Riding Escalator, Beware Of "Crocs"

Injuries Reported When Trendy Soft-Soled Clogs Become Caught In Moving Stairways

(CBS/AP) 
In Singapore, a 2-year-old girl wearing rubber clogs - it's unclear what brand - had her big toe completely ripped off in an escalator accident last year, according to local media reports.

And at the Atlanta airport, a 3-year-old boy wearing Crocs suffered a deep gash across the top of his toes in June. That was one of seven shoe entrapments at the airport since May 1, and all but two of them involved Crocs, said Roy Springer, operations manager for the company that runs the airport terminal.

One U.S. retailer that caters to children, Mattel subsidiary American Girl, has posted signs in three locations directing customers wearing Crocs or flip-flop sandals to use elevators instead of escalators.

You should always have your child stand right in the middle of the steps so if you're on the escalator with your child, your hold the railing and then you hold your child's hand and make sure the child is right in the middle, nowhere near the sides because that's where the accidents can happen, advises Koeppen.

And then when you get down to the bottom, make sure that you help your child get off.

During the past two years, so-called "shoe entrapments" in the Washington subway have gone from being relatively rare to happening four or five times a week in the summer, though none has caused serious injuries, said Dave Lacosse, who oversees the subway's 588 escalators, the most of any U.S. transit system.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said escalator accidents caused more than 10,000 injuries last year, but the agency has few records of specific shoe problems. Only two shoe entrapments have been reported by consumers since the beginning of 2006. One reported in May involved "rubber footwear."

Agency spokesman Ed Kang urged people who have had problems to report them on the commission's Web site.

Crocs officials said they were working with the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation on public education initiatives. But the group's executive director, Barbara Allen, said that's not true.

Allen said a Crocs official called her in September 2006 about possible cooperation, even suggesting the company might put a tag in its shoes with the foundation's Web address. But since that first contact, Crocs has not called, and nobody from the company will return Allen's calls, she said.

Washington Metro's Lacosse and other escalator experts say the best way to prevent shoe entrapments is to face the direction the stairs are moving, keep feet away from the sides and step over the teeth at the end.

Lacosse, of the Washington subway system, said he is personally skittish of Crocs and other soft-soled shoes.

"Would I wear them? No," he said. "And I tell my children not to wear them either."

[jimbo505]

Crocs look so strange!

[jimbo505]

this is very true

[missygurl1]

Geez bthrasher102,
lighten up! accidents do happen even to the best supervised child. I know, been an e.m.t. for 10 years and working in the e.r. The craziest things happen. This is just one of those things, we learn from experiences \ (hopefully)

[ltblmr39]

This is not a new thing! My son was only 5 yrs. old in 1975 and was standing right beside me on a Penneys store escalator with tennis shoes on, (not Crocs.) The friction of the rubber on the shoes caught on the corner of the step of the escalator and pulled the top of his shoe, toes and all, down into the crack. It clamped down on his little feet pulling all of his toenails out. It was a lesson well learned. We always watched the rubber on shoes very carefully after that, and it had nothing to do with Crocs.

[michellem99-2009]

Let not blame adult and or child. They have parts yer just can''t see. I will not use them. I will not. I can''t see to use them. I am terrified of them and have been since 1964 in a store in Maine. I use a white cane.. I use the lift or steps. Thank you.

[Krazcarl]

Thought that''s why they removed escalators in most places is there basicaly not safe. Do remember my first ride at 10 at the old Woolworths you''d have thought I was on a carnivel ride that''s the problem children not the shoes though rubber packs would be safer.

[bthrasher102]

My point was that you are not supposed to do that with any shoe, period, not matter your age. I would be willing to bet that the safety instructions located on the hand rail at the top (or bottom depending on the direction you''re going) of the escalator point that fact out. Also, you can''t blame a shoe for not protecting your foot, when the shoe is not designed, nor advertised as something that will. I''m sure you are a great parent. My point was never to argue that you aren''t. My point was that when something goes wrong, people blame the person with the most money, even if simply reading instructions or using some common sense would have prevented it. People make mistakes, companies who manufacture a perfectly decent product shouldn''t have to pay for them.

[lckjaw]

I didn''t realize that you were parent of the year....my appologies. How about you put on a pair of crocs and stand perfectly still on an escalator without moving your feet. My son stood perfectly still and always does...excep this time they ''touched the side'' for a second. In that second his shoes were torn apart and melted on the top because of that brief second. Yeah...your right....couldn''t possibly be anything wrong with the material of the shoe that would grip on and tear apart and melt in that second........oh and with my sons toe in with it.

[bthrasher102]

So you think it''s Crocs fault that you son stuck his foot on the side of the escalator? When your kid gets on the escalator, he/she should know it''s not a toy. You''re supposed to stand on the step and wait till you get to the bottom and step off, not screw around and try to put your foot on the side of it or wait and see if the bottom will suck your shoe under. Crocs are basically socks, did you think about that while you watched your kid playing around in them on the escalator?

[michellem99-2009]

I an 52. I know this about abrand of shoe and them moving stairs. I hate them stairs that move. I will not go on them. no sah..Yer could not pay me to use them.
I am legally blind and can''t see to use them safely. I can''t use my cane on them as I can on stairs that are still. Children should not use them. I use the lift and so should the young kids with their care givers.

[lckjaw]

my 3 year old caught his shoe in an escalator with crocs. It''s laughable to think that it was his fault. All he did was touch his shoe to the side for 1-2 seconds...that''s it. His screams were nothing like I''d ever heard. I had to pull the mangled shoe out. Luckily his ''only'' injury was the lose of most of the skin on the bottom of his big toe.

NO child, especially a 3 year old deserves that kind of terror. He is justifiably terrified of escalators now.

[teeus]

"...For the love of mankind, STOP BASHING DUBYA!!!! "

Wow. I have a vision...a vision of rushman71 sobbing under a sheet with eyeliner wailing how we should all take it easy on Brittn...I mean...Dubya.

Lighten up, Rush. It''s tru that many folks seem to tie every story and or comment to politics, but this was clearly a joke.

And, by the way? Did everyone see the pictures of Bush wearing Crocs and black socks and shorts? Here''s a news flash for you. When the Pres wears Crocs, Crocs are over. SO over.

[rushman71]

SgtRDS: Ok, I just wanted to share with you something funny, I know you will love it because of the animation is totally based on bashing Dubbia the Incoherent!!! This is to a web site of a news corp up in Seatle. It starts off during the Roman Empire at the end of Bilious Clintonius'' rule. I think you''ll get a kick out of this!!!

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/horsey/empirerising/index.asp

[bthrasher102]

It''s a shame the parents will be suing the company when it''s actually their fault for not watching their kids.

[rushman71]

SgtRDS: You see, this is about a Croc of shiit!!! not about Bush!!! Every article that you see, you go out of your way to bash BushnDick or DicknBush!!! For the love of mankind, STOP BASHING DUBYA!!!!

[sgtrds]

When I''m not at work I almost live in my Crocs. Most comfortable shoes I''ve ever worn. My wife has more then 20 pair in nearly all the colors. Never had any problems, but like the story says, it seems it''s mostly kids who don''t watch where they''re stepping. Watch out Dubya or you''ll lose a toe too.

;-)