Escalator Entrapment Risks: Rubber Shoes Endanger Children, While Bags and Umbrellas Can Cause Falls in Older Adults

Accidents involving shoes, clothing or bags becoming caught in gaps while using escalators or moving walkways continue to occur. According to data released by the Korea Consumer Agency on the 1st, a total of 113 entrapment accidents involving escalators and moving walkways were reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System, CISS, from 2021 to 2025.

Among the 109 cases for which ages were confirmed, infants and young children aged 7 or younger accounted for the largest share, with 37 cases, or 33.9%, followed by older adults aged 65 or older with 19 cases, or 17.4%, and young adults aged 19 to 34 with 15 cases, or 13.8%. In South Korea, a 69-year-old woman suffered a laceration to the back of her head in August after her bag became caught in an escalator and caused her to fall. In July, a 5-year-old boy injured his toenail when the rubber shoe he was wearing became caught in an escalator gap. Children and older adults need to exercise particular caution when using escalators and moving walkways.

◇Children face a higher risk of shoes, hands and feet becoming caught
Children face a high risk of part of their bodies becoming directly caught because they may bring themselves close to the escalator steps or sides, or reach out their hands out of curiosity. In fact, 28 of the 37 accidents involving infants and young children, or 75.7%, involved part of the body becoming caught, accounting for the vast majority of cases.

In particular, injuries to the feet or legs were common. Among accidents involving infants and young children, 25 cases, or 67.6%, involved foot or leg injuries. Accidents caused by shoes becoming caught are a typical example. All nine cases of items becoming caught in accidents involving infants and young children were related to shoes, and three of them were caused by rubber shoes.

Because rubber shoes are soft and highly flexible, they can be pulled into gaps between the escalator steps and sides. When children ride an escalator, care should be taken to keep the toes of their shoes away from gaps, and guardians should ensure their safe use by holding their hands or carrying them.

◇Bags and umbrellas can catch on escalators and cause older adults to fall
The pattern of accidents was different among older adults. Of the 19 entrapment accidents involving people aged 65 or older, items became caught in 13 cases, or 68.4%, which was more common than cases in which the body became directly caught. The most common causes were personal belongings such as bags and umbrellas. Of the 13 accidents involving items becoming caught, six, or 46.1%, involved personal belongings, followed by clothing with four cases, or 30.8%, and shoes with three cases, or 23.1%.

The problem does not end when a personal belonging becomes caught. When an item suddenly catches, a person can lose their balance, fall and injure their head or face. In actual accidents involving older adults, head and facial injuries were the most common, accounting for seven cases, while there were also cases involving injuries to the neck, shoulders or torso.

Therefore, when riding an escalator or moving walkway, it is advisable to hold bags, umbrellas and other belongings close to the body rather than setting them on the floor. In particular, avoid using the tip of an umbrella to brace against the steps or placing items on the steps.