Can You Drive in Sandals?
3 Answers
Sandals are not suitable for driving. Here are the relevant details: Disadvantages of driving in sandals: Sandals are not recommended for driving because they are quite similar to flip-flops, even though sandals have some back coverage. The main reason flip-flops are prohibited while driving is that they can get stuck under the brake or accelerator pedal, making it difficult to free your foot quickly, which could lead to accidents. Therefore, driving in sandals is also unsafe. Foot feedback: The feedback time when pressing the brake or accelerator differs between sandals and regular shoes. Wearing sandals results in slower foot feedback, whereas normal shoes provide quicker feedback. In situations where quick reactions are needed to press the brake or accelerator, even a slight delay can lead to a completely different outcome.
As someone who frequently drives long distances, I find driving in sandals quite risky. These shoes have thick and hard soles, making it very difficult to feel the pedals when accelerating or braking. Once, I wore them to the supermarket and almost rear-ended another car in the parking lot. Additionally, they lack heel support, causing your foot to slip during sharp turns, and if it rains, the soles get wet and become even more slippery. While there's no explicit law against it, there's really no need to compromise safety for convenience. I always keep a pair of thin-soled canvas shoes specifically for driving in my car, changing into them as soon as I get in. This way, I have much better pedal sensitivity and can react quickly in emergencies.
Years of driving a taxi have taught me that footwear is closely related to driving safety. The biggest issue with sandals is that the forefoot is too wide, making it easy to get stuck under the brake pedal—I've seen new drivers miss red lights because of this while picking up passengers. The shallow tread pattern leads to insufficient friction on rainy days, and the unfixed heel can easily drag when operating the pedals. It's best to choose well-fitted low-top shoes that ensure both flexibility and ankle protection. I always clean the gravel off the driver's seat after work, as safety is no small matter.
