TikTok PSA: Claw Clips Can Cause Serious Injuries in Car Crashes

Claw clip girlies, listen up. While claw clips have once again become a popular fashion item for quick and easy hair updos, several women have begun pointing out the dangers of wearing claw clips in the car. It turns out that this trendy hair accessory can cause serious injuries in car crashes. After reading these women’s stories, you’ll probably never want to wear a claw clip in the car again. 

Claw Clips Can Cause Serious Injuries in Car Crashes

Jeena Panesar

19 year-old Jeena Panesar was driving home from work one afternoon when she accidentally ran off the road and hit a tree. Her car reportedly skidded another 50 meters before it flipped, throwing Jeena into the roof of the car. The claw clip she had secured in her hair earlier that day embedded itself in her scalp and stayed there for about two hours. 

“When the car started crashing the claw clip wedged into the back of my head. Then the car roof clamped down into my head, so it was a joint effort from both,” said Jeena.

Thankfully, Jeena managed to crawl out of her car’s shattered window and flag down help before passing out. She was taken to the hospital where a nurse removed the clip, which had left an 11 inch, skull-deep cut from her left eyebrow to the back of her head. After three days in the hospital, Jeena was able to return to her home. 

Paisley Riley

Paisley Riley, whose story went viral on TikTok, also suffered a serious injury after a claw clip became embedded in her scalp. She and her friend were riding in a side-by-side, a type of off-road vehicle, when the driver took a sharp turn that caused the vehicle to roll. While rolling, Paisley’s head was thrust backward, and the clip embedded itself in her scalp.

She immediately went to an emergency room where doctors treated the cut on her scalp, which required five staples. The clip, ironically, was not damaged at all.

Arielle Elonys

Another young woman who has shared her story on TikTok is Arielle Elonys. Arielle was also injured in a car crash while wearing a claw clip. When the car’s airbag deployed, Arielle’s claw clip prevented her head from going back properly to hit the head rest. 

As a result, Arielle’s upper back broke in three places. Her claw clip, however, remained intact. As Arielle said, “you’d think [the clip] would break…it didn’t. But I broke.”

Emma Jurkowski

Emma Jurkowski was one of the first women to share about her injury from wearing a claw clip in the car in 2021. She and her friend were both wearing claw clips when a large gardening truck rear-ended their vehicle in a residential area. Despite the fact that the crash was a minor fender bender, both women suffered from headaches and neck pain after the accident.

Emma believes that the claw clips kept their heads in a forward position which prevented their heads from hitting the head rest properly. She says the awkward angle most likely contributed to neck pain and that she thinks they would have had little to no pain after the crash if they hadn’t been wearing claw clips in the car.

How Do Claw Clips Cause Injuries in Car Crashes?

Embedded in the Scalp

One of the ways claw clips can cause injuries in a car crash is that they can become embedded in a person’s scalp. If a person gets in a car crash, particularly one in which the vehicle rolls, their head may slam against a headrest, car door, window, or the top of the car. Many claw clips are strong enough to withstand hard blows without breaking, so the clip can get lodged in the soft tissue in the scalp. Jeena Panesar, for example, had a claw clip embedded in her scalp for about two hours after her car crash.

Cuts and Lacerations

Claw clips can also cause large cuts and lacerations on the head, neck, and face. Both Jeena Panesar and Paisley Riley were cut by their claw clips after the clips were embedded in their scalps. Jeena’s laceration was an astounding 11 inches long, ranging from her eyebrow to the back of her head. Paisley’s cut, though not as large, still required five staples and a trip to the emergency room. 

Neck and Back Injuries

Another way claw clips can cause serious injuries in car crashes is by preventing a person’s head from hitting the headrest on the car seat. This, unfortunately, can cause serious back and neck injuries. This was the case for Arielle Elonys, who broke her upper back in three places. The headrests on car seats aren’t just there for comfort. Like seatbelts and airbags, headrests are built into the car to minimize injury in the case of a rear-end crash. When a person wears a claw clip, their head cannot properly make contact with the headrest, which contributes to back and neck injuries.

What Other Accessories Should I Avoid Wearing in the Car?

Claw clips aren’t the only fashion accessory that can cause problems while driving. Here’s a list of other accessories to think twice about wearing before getting behind the wheel or in the passenger seat:

1. Types of Shoes

It’s best to avoid driving in shoes such as house slippers and flip flops, as their lack of heel support may cause them to slip off and get caught in the gas and brake pedals. High heels and wedges are less than ideal footwear to drive in since it’s harder to point your toe to step on the pedals, and the heel may make it more difficult to shift between pedals. Some safety experts also recommend avoiding driving in clunky, thick-soled boots such as work boots or cowboy boots. Boots with thick soles make it easier to accidentally press the two pedals at once. 

2. Smart watches

While smart watches are unlikely to cause you any physical harm in the event of a car crash, they can definitely be a distraction to you as you drive. Many car crashes are caused by distracted drivers, so if you want to stay safe, consider taking off the smart watch or at least setting it on Do Not Disturb.

3. Sunglasses

Sunglasses aren’t inherently an unsafe accessory to wear while driving. They can be beneficial by helping you see the road without straining your eyes. However, you should never wear your sunglasses once the sun has set or if the lighting is poor. In addition, sunglasses can cause injuries in the event of a car crash. Whether you’re wearing them normally or resting them on the top of your head, sunglasses have the potential to cause cuts to the head, face, eyes, and neck. Unless you need sunglasses to help you see while driving, it’s best not to wear them in the car.

The Carlson Law Firm Can Help

At The Carlson Law Firm, we understand that being injured in car crash is a stressful time for many people. However, you don’t have to go through it alone. Our caring and compassionate legal teams are here to help you get the compensation you deserve. We care, and we can help.