With the unveiling of new 8-inch stilettos and news that women are turning to Botox in an attempt to repair their damaged feet, Sheilas’ Wheels is urging female motorists to make sure they have appropriate footwear on before they ‘step’ into the driving seat.
It is estimated that more than 11.5 million(1) female drivers in the UK are already putting themselves and other drivers at risk by wearing the wrong footwear when behind the wheel. And with women now considering Botox in their feet – which relaxes muscles in the body and causes temporary numbness - this could further heighten the risk to road users.
Sheilas’ Wheels urges female drivers who decide to undergo such treatment not to drive until the side effects have worn-off – so that they can ‘feel’ the pedals and be able to brake suddenly without discomfort or fear of damaging the affected area.
Michael O’Neill, Consultant Podiatric Surgeon from the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, commented:
"With this kind of extreme procedure, a number of dermal fillers would need to be injected into the foot to plump up the metatarsals. Numbness would last for up to 24 hours and we firmly suggest that you shouldn’t drive for at least three days after such a treatment due to loss of feeling in the foot.
"The rule is ‘you can’t drive until you can hop five times on a foot’ - ensuring you can put the foot down on a pedal without hesitation, which is crucial if you need to make an emergency stop."
Further to this, with high heels reaching skyscraper status, one in ten (10 per cent) female motorists admit that they have had a car accident or a ‘near-miss’ because of their shoes slipping off or getting stuck between, or under, the foot pedals whilst driving.