Contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing illegal about driving in your bare feet in California – although it may not necessarily be wise.
The soles of your shoes help provide more traction on your brake and gas pedal, and they help you distribute pressure more evenly – which always makes for a safer ride. Plus, leaving your feet uncovered means you have nothing to protect your toes and feet in an accident.
There are worse choices
All that being said, the total lack of footwear is not nearly as bad as trying to drive in the wrong footwear. Here are three worse options:
- Shoes with loose laces: Sneakers may seem like the best option for driving, especially if you’re going somewhere where you want to be comfortable – but watch those untied or dangling laces. They can get tangled up around the pedals and interfere with your ability to operate your vehicle.
- Flip-flops: These are standard summer wear, but they’re really unsafe for driving. They’re known for slipping off people’s feet, and they could do that while you’re driving, too. If that happens, you could end up with your flip-flop wedged under your brake, and that’s dangerous.
- High heels: Many women already know that it can be difficult to drive in heels, especially open-toed heels. The elevation of the heel makes it hard to control your pedals, the soles slip and the heel itself can get caught under the pedal rather suddenly.
What’s the solution? Find a pair of shoes that are safe to drive in and tuck them into your car. That way, you can always switch out your footwear quickly before you have to drive.
California is known as “the Golden State” for a reason – and people take advantage of the gorgeous summer weather every year by enjoying the outdoors as often as possible. Unfortunately, accidents can and will happen, especially on this state’s crowded roadways. If you’re involved in a wreck this summer, it may pay to learn more about how to obtain fair compensation for your losses.