A British car insurance company that is focused on women has decided that women wear the wrong shoes for driving and that leads to accidents. The company's solution? Create a pair of shoes that morph from stilettos to flats in an instant.
A new footwear design concept that aims to make women safer and more comfortable behind the wheel, without compromising on their style, is launched today.
Sheilas' Wheels has developed the Sheila Driving Heel which gives women the best of both worlds - a safe, flat driving shoe and a glamorous pair of heels in one - all interchangeable at a push of a button.
More than 11.5 million* women drivers in the UK are putting themselves and other drivers at risk by wearing the wrong footwear when behind the wheel, according to new research from Sheilas' Wheels - the car insurer for women.
One in ten (10%) 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.
The Safe Shoes report shows that a massive 80% of female drivers wear inappropriate footwear when in control of a car - choosing style over safety. A third (33%) of all female drivers confess to wearing flip-flops, while 18% claim that they have worn no shoes at all when driving, which experts say can be extremely hazardous and is currently illegal in some parts of the UK**.
In fact, just under half (47%) of women drivers said they chose what shoes to wear when getting ready in the morning based on what went best with their outfit rather than being the safest for driving in.
Under a fifth (17%) of female drivers keep a spare pair of driving shoes in the car to change into, while nearly a quarter (23%) admit they can't be bothered to change their shoes when behind the wheel even if they know they are not the safest 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 by wearing the wrong shoe or no shoe at all whilst behind the wheel. 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 - allowing women to wear a safe flat shoe whilst driving, and a fashionable heel once they are out of the car."
The report highlighted that 63% of women called for better guidelines to advise them on the correct form of footwear to wear when driving. A lack of understanding is clearly evident as over half (54%) of female motorists believed that sports trainers were the safest shoes to drive in - even though their thick soles and chunky design limit both movement between, and contact with, the pedals.
Dianne Ferreira, spokesperson for Brake the national road safety charity, added: "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."
We're all for safe driving, but could they design something that's not just for Stripperella? And what happens if they collapse while you're busting a move on the dance floor? Or while you're walking down the street? We have some doubts about the engineering behind this invention. You can read more about the shoes
here.
Or you could just be sure to drive in appropriate shoes.
