UK NEWS
SHOES DRIVING US TO DISTRACTION
Prang: Shoes can be a nightmare for motorists
By Rod Mills
OVER a million women drivers in Scotland are risking lives by wearing high heels, flip flops or other inappropriate footwear behind the wheel.
Almost a fifth admitted to causing an accident or a near miss as a result - almost twice as many as the rest of the UK.
The Safe Shoe survey by insurers Sheilas' Wheels found 86 per cent of women admitted wearing unsuitable footwear while driving.
Scots are almost twice as likely to have crashed or come close to it as a result, with 17 per cent owning up to incidents compared to ten per cent across the UK.
Most incidents were caused by high heels jamming between or under pedals, or slipping off, causing drivers to lose control of their vehicle.
Road safety experts warned lives were being risked daily for the sake of fashion and called on women drivers to carry a spare pair of driving shoes.
Dianne Ferreira, spokesperson for Brake, the national road safety charity, said: "An alarming number of female drivers simply do not realise the danger they are putting themselves, and others, in by driving in inappropriate shoes.
"High heels, platforms and flip-flops can seriously hamper your ability to drive safely, and could have fatal consequences.
"It only takes a few seconds to change your shoes before each journey to help ensure you arrive safely."
A fifth of women quizzed admitted wearing flip flops, while 15 per cent said they regularly drove barefoot, which is illegal in Scotland.
Over 40 per cent said they chose shoes according to fashion rather than on driving safety and just seven per cent of women said they kept a spare pair of driving shoes in the car.
Jo Stagg, spokeswoman for the Royal Society for the Provention of Accidents, added: "The danger of wearing shoes that are not suitable is that the foot can slip off the pedal, or get stuck and become a distraction.
"The questions to ask yourself are, are they comfortable? Do they give support? Do they stay on your feet? Can you operate the pedals easily?
"If you have any doubts, keep a spare pair of suitable shoes in the car."
More than 11.5 million women drivers in the UK are risking accidents by wearing the wrong footwear behind the wheel, according to the study.
As part of their awareness campaign, Sheilas' Wheels have launched the Sheila Driving Heel, shoes with a retracttable heel for driving.
Jacky Brown, spokesperson for Sheilas' Wheels, said: "It's astonishing that so many women are putting themselves, their passengers and other drivers at risk.
"Stilettos, sling-backs and strappy sandals aren't the sensible choice when it comes to controlling a car.
"Our Sheila Driving Heel design could provide safety-conscious female motorists with the ultimate driving shoe."
The survey found over half of female motorists believed that sports trainers were the safest choice, but experts said their thick soles and chunky design made them unsuitable.
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