Is it legal to drive without shoes?

You can tell a lot about a person by the shoes on their feet… where they’ve come from and where they are going.

That statement is just one of many succinct pearls of wisdom from the Oscar-winning Hollywood blockbuster Forrest Gump. And it’s true.

But what if you aren’t wearing any shoes at all: what does that say?

Well, you might be just ducking down to the shops to grab a missing ingredient for dinner or a quick snack, coming back from the beach, or slipping off whatever you were wearing after a long day at work. Going barefoot can tell just as much.

But how about if you’re in the car: is it legal to drive in Australia without any shoes on?

Technically, there are no federal or state road rules that prevent you from driving barefoot, and there are also no guidelines to dictate what is considered inappropriate footwear, which means it is legal to drive while not wearing shoes or in thongs, slides, and sandals.

In certain circumstances, it may actually be safer to drive with bare feet rather than in the shoes you were wearing before entering the vehicle, such as high-heeled stilettos, or heavy work boots as these may impede your ability to properly control the vehicle.

And that is the crux of the matter. There is a general road rule that requires drivers to always maintain ‘correct control’ of the vehicle with due care and attention. So, there may be some instances where driving without shoes could be considered a factor in your driving behaviour, and police could issue an on-the-spot fine for negligent driving or prosecutors may attribute the lack of appropriate footwear as a contributing factor if you are involved in a traffic accident.

The only exception to this rule is that in some states it is mandatory for learner drivers to wear appropriate footwear while participating in driving lessons.

Otherwise, there is no specific law that prevents you from driving barefoot, or while wearing thongs, slides, or sandals. Really, it comes down to your own common sense and if you feel as though what you are wearing on your feet has an adverse effect on your driving then take them off. Or, if you are barefoot, then put something on.

One thing, though, if you do take your shoes off while driving, slip them off before you start the car and place them somewhere other than in the driver’s side footwell. If you leave them there, they could move around while the car is going through a corner, or under braking, and inhibit your ability to control the pedals properly. Worse still, they could jam behind the brake pedal and prevent you from stopping correctly.

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au