Here in Singapore, where wearing slippers is a norm, people may not think twice about donning the footwear for tasks ranging from grocery shopping to even going on dates.
But perhaps the convenient footwear might not be appropriate for all occasions, especially when safety is concerned.
Recently, a driver in Taiwan accidentally stepped on her car’s accelerator allegedly after her slipper came loose. This caused her to crash into a group of motorcyclists.
As a result of the accident, six riders sustained injuries. A 66-year-old motorcyclist also passed away after getting trapped between the car and a signal control box.
Woman crashes car into 8 motorcycles at traffic junction
According to Taiwan news site ETtoday, a woman surnamed Zeng (name transliterated from Chinese) was driving to work last Saturday (4 Nov) when she lost control of her car at a traffic junction in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Zeng’s vehicle reportedly ended up crashing into seven motorcycles which had stopped at a red light and another one by the side of the road.
Footage obtained by ETtoday showed her white sedan bulldozing through the motorcyclists before crashing into a lamppost.
Zeng’s car was likely travelling at a relatively high speed at the time as the front bonnet seemed badly wrecked.
The accident resulted in six motorcyclists sustaining injuries.
A seventh individual — a 66-year-old man — was reportedly trapped between Zeng’s vehicle and a nearby “signal control box”. He sadly succumbed to his injuries later on.
Allegedly pressed on accelerator after slipper came loose
Following preliminary investigations, the police determined the likely cause of the accident to be improper use of the accelerator.
Interestingly, they suspected that Zeng’s slippers had come loose before the accident, causing her to accidentally floor the accelerator.
A subsequent breathalyser test ruled out the presence of alcohol in her bloodstream. Police also found that Zeng wasn’t using her phone at the time of the accident.
Officers arrested the 67-year-old driver on the spot for negligence causing death. Investigations are ongoing.
Experts discourage wearing slippers or flip-flops when driving as they may slip or get caught under the pedals. Instead, drivers should wear shoes that allow them to properly rest their heel on the floor while having the ball of their feet on the pedals.
Hopefully, now that drivers are aware of the best practices behind the wheel, they’ll pick more suitable footwear when driving.
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Featured image adapted from Liberty Times Net and ETtoday.
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