By RNZ

A famously ugly shoe is trending in the wrong direction when it comes to safety, data shows.

So far this year, ACC has paid out nearly $2 million to people with ‘fall-related’ claims involving Jandals, high heels and Crocs alone.

The total number of Croc-related accidents in the year to September has already surpassed the 2023 figure, up to 128 from 109.

The number of Jandal-related accidents is decreasing, while high-heel accidents have remained steady over the past four years, the data shows.

Losing balance or skidding on foot was the most common way for people to sustain injuries in both Jandals and Crocs.

A twisting movement was the most common way to be injured wearing heels - 70 people were injured in this fashion over the past nine months.

Meanwhile, at least 10 people were “struck by a person or animal” while wearing Crocs, Jandals or heels, causing a significant enough injury to require ACC.

The price of fashion

For the year to date, more than $1.3m has been paid in active costs relating to the 495 people who needed to recover from Jandal accidents.

While some people might need more assistance than others, that costs about $2700 on average per Jandal accident.

For high heel injuries, about $472,720 was paid out, and for Croc-related accidents, $63,797 was paid out.

The number of people hurt while wearing Crocs tripled between 2022 and 2023, while the cost to ACC of treating those injuries doubled.

Which shoes to choose?

On the numbers and costs alone, the humble Jandal appears to sustain the most damage to the wearer.

High heels come in second, with Crocs climbing the ranks to third.

ACC said the data for this year was not definitive.

When people hurt themselves, they had options to describe on the form how it happened.

“This field is not mandatory to complete and not every client does so. Also, when the field is completed, there is considerable variation in the way accidents are described.”

That meant there could be a much larger number of people who had footwear-related injuries who had not noted the type of footwear on the form.

- RNZ