Drive in flip flops and you could end up with a £5000 fine 30/05/19

It is a lesser known fact that under Rule 97 of the Highway Code you are not advised to wear unsafe shoes whilst driving. With the temperatures due to soar into the 30s this summer, it’s good to stay aware of the rules whilst driving in cooler footwear.

The rules state that you should choose “footwear and clothing which does not prevent you using the controls in the correct manner”. It is not illegal to wear flip flops, but if you were to have an accident even if it wasn’t your fault then you could still receive a fine of £100 and 3 points for a careless driving conviction.

If the case were to be contested in court, then you could end up with an even bigger fine of up to £5000 and up to 9 penalty points.

At Car Call we frequently see accidents caused by careless driving, so we want to ensure our readers are fully aware of all dangers on the roads. As well as flip flops, footwear that is too heavy can also cause issues. High heels and shoes that limit any movement in your ankle can also be a dange,, the same applies to wearing no shoes at all. The Driving Standards Agency state that shoes are important for the braking force applied to pedals , as without shoes on you are only pressing with your toes and not the shoe itself.

Driving in shoes that are not practical for the road isn’t illegal, but the responsibility to adhere to the highway code and consider the safest possible driving choices is paramount when considering your own and the safety of others on the road.



All content is believed to be correct at time of publication.

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