There are indeed an increasing number of reports of severe foot injuries in children who were wearing the very popular and trendy rubber clogs and got caught in an escalator. Even when accompanied by an adult, severe fractures, cuts, and even traumatic toe amputations can and do occur in children riding escalators.
The front of the clog is wide and gives the impression that the foot is well-protected. But children who don’t pick the feet up to step off the escalator can get the clog stuck in the gap where the last step slides into the comb plate. The side of the clog can also get caught on to the metal side panel. Often the injury is made worse because the escalator keeps going until a store employee finally turns it off.
Younger children are at the greatest risk for these types of injuries. They have small feet that can slip into the comb plate. They tend to stand on the escalator right to the top without actually stepping off. And they fall down a lot, increasing the risk of an injury when the fall occurs while on the escalator. Until young children have developed enough to navigate escalators with ease and coordination, parents, grandparents and any other adults with the children are advised to supervise them closely.