“I’ll Never Wear a Claw Clip While Driving Again – It Shattered During a Crash and Left Me in a Neck Brace”

A 22-YEAR-OLD woman has issued a warning to drivers about wearing claw clips behind the wheel after a frightening crash.

Ella Carter (@ isthisellacarter ) was her mum’s car when another driver rear-ended her.

Ella has shared an urgent warning about wearing claw clipsCredit: tiktok.com/@isthisellacarter

In a TikTok video that has now been viewed over 156,000 times, she explained that the claw clip in her smashed on impact, leaving her in a neck brace for six hours and unable to move while lying flat in hospital.

Ella clarified that, despite rumours, the clip did not pierce her skull.

However, the cheap plastic accessory “absolutely shattered” between the back of her head and the car seat.

“It hurt really, really bad, as you can imagine,” she said.

Ella added that she keeps thinking about how much worse it could have been if the material had been stronger or the impact different.

She has since vowed never to wear a claw clip in the car again.

A claw clip, also known as a jaw clip, is a hinged hair accessory with interlocking and a spring mechanism that clamps the hair in place.

It offers a quick, versatile, and often gentler alternative to hair ties for updos, buns, and half-up styles.

Available in a range of sizes from mini to jumbo and in various materials, claw clips suit different hair types, lengths, and textures, providing a secure grip without necessarily causing breakage or dents.

While claw clips are a popular, seemingly harmless styling choice, safety specialists and crash survivors caution that they can turn a minor collision into a serious injury.

In a crash, a hard plastic or metal clip can cause trauma to the head or neck.

It can also interfere with the headrest, which is designed to keep your head aligned and protect your spine.

It could create a gap between your head and the headrest and can increase the risk of severe whiplash or even spinal fractures.

Responding to critics who suggested she should simply style her hair at her destination, Ella said: “If the claw clip is the hairstyle for the function, I’m not gonna go to the function and do my hair there,” while acknowledging she never expected to be hit.

Claw clips are regularly used by those with longer hairCredit: STOCK

Many people rushed to the comments sections of her videos to share their ones, and surprisingly other people have their warnings about them too.

One wrote: “I know the feeling.”

And a second added: “I’m an ice skater and ever since I saw someone fall on their head with a claw clip I’ve stayed far away from them.”

Someone else said: “There are silicon claw clips that are safe for driving! Hope you’re okay!”

While others shared their support for a speedy recovery as one wrote: “So glad you’re okay hun hope you have a quick recovery.”