Is Driving Barefoot or in Flip Flops Illegal?

Here in Florida, the weather is usually warm and sunny all-year-long, so it’s not uncommon for many of us to spend a good part of the year in flip flops, sandals or even barefoot.

As a result, it’s common for people to jump in the car and drive with no shoes on.

While this may seem normal to many people, it begs the question: Is driving barefoot (or in sandals) technically legal?

Believe it or not, driving barefoot or in flip flops is actually legal in all 50 states.

Legal doesn’t necessarily mean it’s recommended, though.

In fact, driving barefoot or while wearing flip flops is highly discouraged.

Here’s why:

Why it’s dangerous to drive in flip flops or barefoot

The reason why driving in flip flops or barefoot is discouraged is because it can make your drive much more dangerous.

How exactly?

Here are some common issues that can result from driving without safer footwear:

• More or worse injuries can occur in a car accident if you’re barefoot or in flip flops because your feet have little to no protection.
• If you’re in an accident (or have to stop for some other reason) and need to get out of your car, being barefoot can cause serious injuries because of broken glass, car parts and other sharp objects in the road.
• Flip flops can get stuck under or around the pedals, or even slip off, making it difficult to stop or go when needed and also causes major distraction while driving.

Don’t let your feet distract you while driving

Driving with the wrong shoes, like flip flops or even high heels, can prove to be more distracting and dangerous than driving barefoot.

However, because it’s also dangerous to drive barefoot, we recommend keeping an extra pair of sneakers or other safe driving shoes in your car to change into when needed.

Distracted driving causes about 60 percent of all car accidents, so don’t let the type of shoes you wear (or don’t wear) become the reason you don’t make it safely to your destination!