Motorists could be slapped with a £100 fine for driving in certain footwear without one key feature, according to experts. Julian Nelson, spokesperson for A Fine Pair of Shoes, explained that ensuring shoes had a ”secure, supportive fastening” was crucial to staying safe.
Footwear with a full back and a secure fastening of either laces or buckles keeps the foot in place, ensuring road users have full control over the pedals. Open-backed shoes without a fastener, such as sandals, can easily slip off and become wedged under the pedals in a major safety risk. Footwear should never restrict ankle movement, with stiff, tall boots also unlikely to be advisable.
Mr Nelson explained: “The number one feature your shoe must have when driving is a secure, supportive fastening combined with a sole profile that is thin and flexible enough to feel the pedals. This is the crucial feature that separates a safe driving shoe from a dangerous one, regardless of price or brand. A stiletto heel, for example, can easily get lodged under a pedal, and a thick, rigid sole on a smart boot removes all pedal sensitivity.”
The specialists also explained that individuals should choose a driving shoe with a sole no thicker than 10mm that has good grip. Traditionally, footwear such as leather loafers, canvas pumps, or smart trainers can work best for driving.
Drivers who break the rules could be slapped with an initial on-the-spot penalty of £100 and up to three penalty points on their driving licence.
In more serious cases, road users could be found to be “driving without due care and attention” or “not being in proper control” of a vehicle.
In some circumstances, this can see individuals hit with a maximum penalty of a £5,000 fine and even have up to nine penalty points applied to a licence.
Motoring experts at the RAC explained: “While light, flimsy and impractical footwear can be dangerous, so can sturdy, robust shoes, such as walking or snow boots.
“It’s important to have a good base and grip to apply pressure to the pedals, but you need a certain degree of finesse to manipulate the controls. If not, you could strike the brake and accelerator together, producing a heart-in-mouth incident.”
